The Sea's Daughter: The Sea of Monsters
by Perseia Jackson
Summary: AU: Fem!Harry. Melinda has survived a lot in her short life, including giant snakes, horrible relatives, and a madman out for her blood. But now, after her first adventure as a demigod, she faces one of her toughest challenges yet. Can she juggle everything and still help her brother save their cousins tree and the camp?
1. Recovery

**AN: So, here is the long awaited sequel to The Sea's Daughter: Lightning Thief. **

**I want to let everyone know now that I can't assure an update everyday, mostly because I want to continue to focus a lot on One More Day until I have it finished. But I will try to have at least one update each week for this story.  
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**For those who haven't noticed the one-shot for Melinda and Hades has been up for about a week now.  
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**My website and Polyvore are like always, linked on my profile for those interested.  
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**Hopefully everyone will like this story as much as it's predecessors, seeing as it has some twist I have been planning since Forgotten Daughter in this one. I have been looking forward to writing it - hopefully it's a twist everyone will like.**

** Everyone will learn what these twists are in a few chapters time.  
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**Now as for the timeline, this story opens a few weeks after Luke's betrayal, and leads into the Sea of Monsters.  
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**Now, enjoy the first chapter!  
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**The Sea's Daughter: Sea of Monsters.**

**Chapter 1: Recovery. **

Time waits for no one, she'd known this for years. Though she could deal with that, what annoyed her was when it decided to crawl by.

It seemed like forever before Chiron would allow her out of the Infirmary, and even longer before she could leave to eat with everyone else.

The only thing that kept her sane was Lou Ellen's visits and the surprise visits of the Stoll brothers. At first she'd sworn the two of them were twins, but she'd quickly learned they were a year apart in age.

Travis being the oldest, Connor the younger brother. They just looked near identical.

The first time she'd met them they'd tried to steal her wand – apparently they'd never had many wand users at camp, and those that were, weren't there long enough to attempt the theft of a wand.

They'd hadn't counted on Sesha, who'd wrapped herself around both boys, in a feat even for the large snake. Melinda had turned their hair pink for a week and let them off easy with a warning not to steal from her.

Apparently Sesha was terrifying, and they hadn't attempted anything since. It was actually kind of worrying, the Stoll brothers reminded her a lot of Fred and George.

The world may have ended if the two sets of brothers ever met and conspired with one another – it was sort of painful to think of, seeing as they'd only ever get to meet George (though that was very unlikely).

The first day they'd come to visit was a day or two after she and Percy had woken up the first time, and they'd brought her and Percy bags of candy they'd smuggled into the camp. It was a small gesture, but it was the gesture that counted.

They'd been voted as new co-cabin leaders after Luke's betrayal, something the Hermes cabin was taking the hardest next to Melinda herself – and most likely Annabeth.

Melinda had been receiving letters from the girl since she'd went home over the summer. The daughter of Athena was having a harder time than Melinda understanding why Luke would do this to everyone, and Melinda understood.

Luke was Annabeth's first crush, the person who'd saved her on the streets when she was seven. Him, Thalia and Annabeth had been there own little family.

And then tragedy had struck Thalia, and their family was severed down the middle, like their glue had been stolen from between them.

Annabeth had leaned on Luke since Thalia had become a tree, and his betrayal, Annabeth's first experience with betrayal, had left a long gash that wasn't healing properly.

From her letter, Annabeth was depressed in her own way, and in some form of denial. She believed she could get Luke to see that what he was doing was wrong, and that he could still return to the side of the gods.

Melinda wasn't so sure. She wanted to believe he could be saved, she always had wanted to save everyone according to Hermione, but there was a line.

Luke had crossed that line with his attempt at killing her and Percy, especially Percy. She had forgiven him enough to wish she could save him from the path he'd chosen, but she couldn't bring herself to forgive him for almost killing Percy.

Then there was Poseidon, Melinda wasn't so sure her father would ever forgive the son of Hermes for trying to kill his only two demigod children.

She had decided after Chiron let her out of the infirmary, and wasn't so paranoid about her leaving camp, that she'd make a stop in Virginia, where Annabeth was.

She figured it was time she had a talk with Annabeth alone, and if she couldn't help the girl than she knew Hermione would be glad too.

The two were family after all, even if Annabeth was sort of Hermione's Aunt – the exact relation escaped her at the present time.

Speaking of Sesha though. Her familiar had really let Melinda have it once she'd woken up. The day after she and Percy had told Chiron and the others what happened, her familiar had slithered in from hunting and started hissing.

A lot of the words went over her head, she thought some of it might have been in Ancient Egyptian (if that was even possible for a serpent). She'd never seen Sesha so upset before, nor worried.

Sesha had not been amused, needless to say, and threatened to shackle Melinda into her cabin if she ever did such a stupid thing as let an enemy sneak up behind her again.

As it was, Melinda doubted Sesha was leaving her side, or arm, anytime soon.

On another more positive side note, at least positive for Melinda, Hades had shown up not long after Percy had left camp.

At the time he'd shown up, she was almost completely healed. Though, Chiron was still a bit paranoid about letting her up to long or go back to staying in her cabin.

Apparently she was the first camper to be so horribly maimed in decades, and she had a feeling her father might have threatened Chiron when it came to her healing and health.

But she digressed. It had been sweet of Hades, because he'd brought her a bunch of flowers – a surprise seeing as he wasn't exactly the flowers type of man. She was learning that with Hades you could expect the unexpected, he was a force of unpredictable means.

It was still so surreal to her that she had such a...godly for lack of better term and as cliché as it was (but true since he was a god), boyfriend.

He had stayed for about an hour before leaving, sitting on the side of the bed she laid on, and promising to make Luke bleed as much as he'd made her bleed without dying for all time.

It was sweet, in a morbid sort of way, and though she had still been rather tender when it came to the recent betrayal, she couldn't help but laugh shortly at his words.

It was not long after Percy's birthday, August 18th, that she put her foot down and basically told Chiron she was leaving camp for the rest of the year until summer.

That she had things to do, and a brother to wish happy birthday. Before she'd left, she had visited the creek where Luke had nearly killed her and Percy.

It was there she came to peace about the betrayal. It still hurt, but even after years, all betrayals from her past hurt a little when she thought about them.

**xXx**

She hadn't told Percy the building he now lived in was where she lived as well.

She and Sally had decided to let him find that out on his own, it would have been sooner if not for the fact they'd both been through a near death situation only a few weeks before.

"I'll get the door mom!"

Melinda smiled when she heard this after she'd knocked. She held the late birthday present in her arms. Her brother had thrown her a party for her birthday, she would have felt bad if she hadn't at least gotten him a present.

The problem had been what to get him. She'd been at a lose as to what a thirteen year old boy might want, and she hadn't known Percy longer then a few months.

She'd been in a pet store, looking for some new things for Helios and Sesha when it had occurred to her.

Fish. The fish always had something to say when she walked past, they could all tell a child of the sea king, and she always enjoyed talking to them.

The problem was explaining to Sesha why she couldn't eat the fish she'd bought.

She had chosen the fish not only because she knew Percy would like them and could communicate with them, but because she didn't think Sally would appreciate her buying Percy a dog, cat or snake.

When the door opened, Melinda couldn't help but smirk at the wide eyed, shocked look on Percy's face.

"Mel!" he finally exclaimed. "How...how did you get here?"

She chuckled.

"I walked downstairs," she said. "I live a bit above you guys, didn't Sally tell you?"

Percy gaped at her, and Sally came walking through the hall to where they were, and seemed to be having a hard time keeping a straight face.

"Melinda, come in," Sally said. "Those things must be heavy."

It was then Percy noticed the box in her arms and the single bag around her arm.

"Not really," Melinda said as she entered and sat the box down on the table inside the apartment.

Percy shut the door behind her.

"Feather-light charm," she said, smiling. "It makes heavy things not so heavy. Saved me a lot of problems when I was moving in. the furniture and everything."

Sally nodded.

"That must have been why it was so easy to move the furniture in that weekend."

Melinda nodded, though Percy looked between them confused.

"Huh, what's going on?" Percy asked.

"That weekend I came home, well your mom called and asked me to help her move everything into the new apartment. It just so happened to be here."

Percy nodded and said, "Oh."

Melinda then smiled.

"Happy late birthday, Perce," she said, smiling and handed him the bag which was around her arm.

He took it hesitantly but with some excitement.

"The box on the table is also for you," she said, ignoring Sally's startled look.

She watched with some amusement as Percy pulled out a bag which held three clown fish inside.

"I didn't know what you would like exactly, I've never been very good with gifts," she admitted.

"I was looking for some things for Helios and Sesha when I realized..." She shrugged. "Why not?"

Sesha poked her head up at her name, and looked between her and Percy who held the fish.

_::Hmmm, yes why not let me eat them Mistress?:: _Sesha inquired and Melinda rolled her eyes.

She didn't know why Sesha would want to eat them, she didn't even like fish that much. Said they tasted weird.

_::Not now Sesha,::_ she said, though the hissing didn't go unnoticed by Sally or Percy.

Percy grinned.

Sally smiled as well, and seemed relieved.

"At least it's not a puppy," she said, and Melinda chuckled.

Melinda walked over to the box on the table and opened it, pulling out a tank big enough for the three fish.

The next hour was spent filling it with water, and the few aquarium accessories she'd bought and placing the talkative clown fish inside.

Once it was set up in a corner of the living room, where anyone who came over could see it, Melinda, Percy and Sally all sat down to a early dinner (delivered pizza).

"Percy is going to a school not too far from here. Meriwether," Sally said, as she handed Melinda a cup of Cocoa.

Percy already had his cup, and was standing at the fish tank holding a conversation with one of the clown fish.

It was amusing to Melinda who could understand it, but to anyone else other than her and Sally, they'd think he was mental.

"That's good," Melinda said. "I didn't really go to muggle school for long, but from what I remember it was...different."

She didn't really know what else to say, her school years were spent running from her cousin and his gang before Hogwarts, and at Hogwarts she usually had some sort of adventure each year.

She couldn't remember having a quiet year.

After that the conversation was more simple, mostly Sally and her talking about things Percy probably didn't understand completely (if he was listening).

At seven she stood to leave.

"You'll come around later, right? I could use someone to help me train some," Percy said, and Melinda smiled.

"Sure," she said. "I can't this weekend, though. I'll be busy, and visiting Annabeth."

"Annabeth?" Percy questioned. "Is she alright?"

Melinda nodded, pulling her cardigan back on over her black bustier tank top.

"She's fine, she's been sending me letters since she's been back home. Everything with her father seems fine, it's...it's about Luke," she told him, and she saw Percy's face go through a bunch of different emotions.

She only caught the most obvious, sadness, anger, and concern.

"Oh," he muttered. "Tell her, I said hi."

Melinda smiled and nodded. Then she said goodbye to Sally, gave Percy a quick hug goodbye, much to Percy's slight annoyance, and left to return home.

Time had moved slowly since Luke's betrayal, yet Melinda got the feeling as she arrived home, that things wouldn't stay as calm as they currently were. Not with her luck.


	2. Mind Over Matter

**AN: So, the next chapter is finally here. I hope you all enjoy it, quite a bit of Hades and Melinda in this chapter, though some is more suggested then shown. This story will actually have quite a bit for those two, but at the same time quite the semi-sad ending for them as well.  
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**I'll probably only have about two or three, maybe four more chapters before we delve into Sea of Monsters, but I don't know. There may be more. The next chapter will be out as soon as I can get it written.  
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**Enjoy every and thanks for all the reviews!  
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**The Sea's Daughter: Sea of Monsters.**

**Chapter 2: Mind Over Matter. **

The beginning of her weekend had run, well smoothly. Very smoothly, on Thursday she'd offered to walk with Percy to his new school, finding herself curious about it.

At first she was a bit concerned, especially when she met the first teacher.

She'd had some pretty far out there professors in her past, but none like the ones she saw at Meriwether. McGonagall would have taken one look at the staff and been aghast with horror.

Knowing her former professor she probably would have spent the rest of the day whipping the staff of Meriwether into shape as true teachers worth their paychecks.

If these people even got paid, she wasn't so sure.

But Percy seemed to have an easy enough time and they did do work – one of the teachers had been very insistent that she stay and observe her brother's classes for the day.

They seemed very interested in the fact she'd been a teacher aid at Yancy Academy for a while.

Seeing as she'd been able to help struggling students so well (despite the fact she'd told them she was as dyslexic and ADHD as her brother), they had offered her a job helping out in the classes.

She thought that was weird at first, seeing as she had no real credentials.

Chiron had used the mist when she'd begun at Yancy.

She'd told them she'd think about it, and had talked to Percy about it during lunch. He seemed to be surprised but happy, and told her she should go for it if she wanted the job.

It would give her something to do other then stay at home all day for the next few months.

So, at the end of the day she'd told the school yes and she would start on Friday, before the weekend.

On Friday she had the shock of her life.

A cyclops, in class, seeming as nervous as any new student might be.

Looking at Percy, who ironically sat beside the new student she noticed that when he looked at Tyson – the Cyclopes' name – that he seemed to see what everyone else saw.

She wasn't all that surprised.

He was newer to being a demigod and the mist, and the fact Percy never truly took time to really look at Tyson, it was no surprise he hadn't seen through the mist.

There was something about the demeanor of Tyson, and his size that made her realize he was a baby among his brethren. And that he meant no harm.

He showed no desire to eat anyone during the day and instead seemed to gravitate to Percy as his only friend or even to her with a problem.

By the end of the day she'd decided to keep it to herself. Percy would probably freak out and he needed to learn to see past the mist better and notice these sort of things for himself.

She couldn't always be there to point these things out.

Sally seemed to have the same idea when she'd told her after school that day.

Friday night she'd come home to find Hades sitting on her couch.

That had nearly scared her to death at first, turning on her living room light and suddenly seeing someone sitting on her couch waiting for her. Hades had actually had the nerve to laugh shortly.

He didn't stay long, but he did stay long enough to make plans with her for Saturday. So it was by default she'd venture to Virginia to see Annabeth on Sunday.

_::Mistress, why must you always change clothes so often? I don't see anything wrong with the dark green dress you had on before.:: _

Sesha looked at Melinda, from her warming rock in the corner of the room, as if she were amused.

Melinda sighed as she zipped up the midnight blue petite lace border dip hem dress, something she'd bought recently. It went well with the leather boots she wore, and was casual enough for what was planned.

"Sorry Sesha," Melinda said as she smoothed out the imaginary wrinkles on her dress. "I just get nervous with dates, it's normal and I'm not used to normal. It's our second one as well, and the first didn't exactly end normally."

Sesha hissed her understanding.

_::I believe you told me, your father and stepmother walked into the restaurant you were at, yes?::_ she asked and Melinda flushed at the reminder.

"Yes," she said. "But this time we're going to the movies. I doubt we'll run into anyone we know there."

_::I wish you luck than Mistress,::_ Sesha said, and curled up on her warming rock more as Melinda finished getting ready.

Melinda smiled, and looked around for Helios who was sitting on his golden perch.

He'd grown quite a bit since May, but was still rather young. She had decided before long she'd begin using him for his purpose, to carry letters from her to her friends in England.

Fire calling was alright and a lot quicker but letters would save some time and money.

He would also help with letters between her and Camp should the need ever arise – though for that she'd have to make sure Helios couldn't be intercepted.

There were runes and spells she could use to stop anyone not meant to from reading them or seeing them, but that was in the future.

For now she needed to focus on the present.

Her thoughts were interrupted from a knock on the door and she smiled. Knowing it could only be Hades. She told her familiars a quick goodbye and grabbed her black coat on her way to open the door.

Hades stood outside expectantly, this time with a single dark red rose and she smiled and took the offered flower.

"Thank you," she said and leaned up to kiss him lightly in greeting.

"You're ready, I take it?" Hades inquired and she nodded, moving out the door and shutting it behind her.

"Yep," she said, "So what are we seeing?"

Hades looked at her, his dark eyes boring into her green ones.

"I don't exactly know mortal movies very well, I figured I'd let you decide," he said and she smiled.

"I'm not exactly up to date on muggle movies either, but I'm sure we can find something once we're there," she said, and grabbed his hand in hers once they'd exited the apartment building for the chilly night air.

Hades didn't attempt to pull his hand away, she was happy to notice, as they walked towards the closest movie theater.

**xXx**

_::Mistress, you're going to be late if you don't get up,::_ a hissing voice said from beside her the next morning and she groaned, turning over in her half asleep state.

_::Go away Sesha,::_ Melinda grumbled in her sleep, and she heard Helios hoot from his perch and Sesha hissed in frustration.

_::Don't make me bite you, Mistress. You shouldn't have stayed up so late if you wished to get a good nights sleep. The blonde one will be expecting you by noon.::_

Melinda turned over onto her back. Nearly squishing Sesha who slithered from the spot in time, and off the bed with a hiss of mutters she couldn't exactly make out.

Light filtered in from her bedroom window, through the curtains.

Melinda looked beside her to find a folded piece of paper on the pillow next to her, but otherwise the bed was empty.

She sighed, but she'd figured when she'd made her decision last night that he'd be gone before she woke up. He was a busy god after all, he couldn't stay just to see her wake up.

Sitting up, she pulled the sheet up to cover her bare torso and ran her free hand through her messy curls. It didn't take a genius to figure out what had gone on last night after they'd returned from a calm, and normal movie.

She'd invited him in, for some wine and to talk, and one thing led to another. The next thing she knew she was letting out a year of sexual frustration.

It had been about a year, in August she was pretty sure. The last time she'd had sex being the August before Bill and Fleur's wedding.

Needless to say after so long she was rather sore now.

Looking at her familiars she winced, barely remembering them leaving the room the night before when she and Hades had tumbled onto the bed.

_::Did you have fun last night, Mistress?:: _Sesha asked, her voice highly teasing and amused.

Like the snake was trying to get a reaction out of her and Melinda glared halfheartedly at her serpent familiar.

_::Hush, Sesha,::_ she hissed, threw her legs over the side of the bed and grabbed the letter off the pillow on her way up.

She grabbed a black t-shirt which said _'wild child'_ in big white letters on the front. A pair of skinny jeans and some underwear.

She then headed to the bathroom, stopping only to drop the sheet wrapped around her and throw it into the hamper.

Shutting the bathroom door behind her, she laid her clothes down on the toilet seat and turned on the shower. Letting the water warm up some, she stood at the sink and opened the letter Hades had left.

_Melinda,_

_I apologize for leaving while you were asleep, I had to return to the underworld. Be safe while in Virginia, and good luck with your friend. _

The letter was short and to the point. She got the impression Hades wasn't used to leaving letters for anyone.

She was pleasantly surprised he mentioned her trip to see Annabeth at all, and that he made it known he was concerned for her well being.

Closing the note she sat it behind the sink faucet and stepped into the welcoming shower.

About half a hour later she left the apartment, portkeying to Virginia, seeing as she didn't know anywhere in Virginia to Aparate too.

The Portkey set her only a few miles away from Annabeth's home. She made it there with relative ease, only asking directions once.

The home was moderately large and had a backyard that was big enough for kids to run around and play.

Annabeth had mentioned she had two younger twin brothers. Knocking on the door she waited, and wasn't all that surprised when a handsome, nearly middle aged man opened the door.

What did surprise her was his appearance. He looked a bit like Annabeth, blonde hair that was nearly the same color as Annabeth's and intense brown eyes.

She got the impression he'd be the perfect mad scientist type if the blow torch he had in his gloved hand was anything to go by.

"Uh...Mr. Chase?" she asked.

The man nodded and looked at her as if trying to figure out how she worked or who she was more likely.

"I am, are you here to see Annabeth?" he asked.

Melinda nodded.

"Yes, I'm – "

"Mel!" a familiar voice interrupted her.

Mr. Chase turned to see Annabeth jogging over, looking happy and relieved.

"Dad, this is my friend, and Percy's older half-sister, Melinda Potter," she said. "I told you she was coming."

Mr. Chase nodded.

"Right, I remember. She's the daughter of Poseidon, isn't it?"

Annabeth sighed, and nodded.

"Yes dad," she said. "You can interrogate her about the workings of being the daughter of the sea god later."

Mr. Chase looked a little down about that, but nodded at his daughters words, and allowed Annabeth to exit the front door to the porch where Melinda stood.

"Be safe, Annabeth," Mr. Chase said.

He turned, but not before nodding at Melinda, and shutting the door as he returned to wherever it was he'd been.

"Thanks for coming, Melinda," Annabeth said as she led Melinda into the backyard.

There was a small garden and bench in one area, and a small playground-like set up in the rest. It was a very homey, lived in feel to it.

Melinda nodded, smiling.

"My pleasure. I was worried, you letters began getting shorter and more..." she trailed off with her sentence.

Annabeth nodded, sitting down on the bench on the garden end and Melinda sat next to her.

"I guess I just got nostalgic. Even being away from camp, being back in Virginia, it brought back some the memories of when I was running around with Thalia and...Luke," Annabeth said, her voice stumbling over the latter name.

Melinda sighed.

"I can't really say I understand exactly what you're going through. My betrayals weren't like this, besides Wormtail and I was only a baby then. Tom was the only one close to this, and I didn't know him as long as you've known Luke. He wasn't even alive really, just a memory of a boy. A soul fragment."

Annabeth looked at her confused and she sighed.

"I can't remember if I've ever told you the back story of Lord Voldemort," Melinda said and Annabeth frowned.

"I don't think so, you said he was an evil wizard who started the war you ended in Hecate's magical world," Annabeth said. "I think it was mentioned in one of the books you gave me as well."

Melinda nodded.

"Well, he wasn't always called Lord Voldemort. Before he was an evil dark lord, he was just a kid, like you or Percy, or even me at one point in time," Melinda began.

"He was this Tom boy wasn't he?" Annabeth asked, her eyes holding a knowing look to them.

Like she had suddenly solved a puzzle.

"He was. Voldemort was born in 1926 as Tom Marvolo Riddle," Melinda began.

"His mother was a witch, but not very powerful. Merope Gaunt's magic had been stunted, I believe, through years of neglect and abuse her father and brother put her through. Then there was the obvious inbreeding in the Gaunt line, it was a miracle there weren't more squibs born into their family."

Melinda said this, knowing Annabeth would know what a squib was, she'd explained it to her before.

And unlike Percy, Annabeth had an easier time retaining the information, because she was the daughter of the wisdom goddess.

"Merope actually fell in love with a neighboring boy in the village, very rich one at that. Tom Riddle Sr. But he never gave her the time of day. Then, her brother and father were sent to prison for a while and she took the chance to charm Tom Riddle Sr."

"They fell in love?" Annabeth asked, almost hopeful that that was the case but Melinda shook her head.

"No, she used a love potion, one which is actually illegal because of people using it on others. Sometimes in order to get into old Pureblood families and steal the family name and fortunes for future generations. Eventually she became pregnant after they ran off and got married. Once she found out that news, she stopped giving him the potion and he left her."

Annabeth stared at her in horror.

"That's not right, if she was pregnant..." she trailed off, shaking her head.

Melinda nodded.

"I felt the same way, but he was a muggle, faced with the fact his wife was a witch and had used magic to make him love her. It wasn't right for her to deceive him like that. Yet, it wasn't right for him to leave her and his child, more so the child I suppose."

Annabeth nodded, agreeing with that.

"What happened to Merope and Tom?" Annabeth asked.

"Merope ran away, her father and brother were getting out of prison before long and she couldn't return home to them. She stopped using magic all together, blaming it for Tom leaving her I suppose. Or maybe the heartbreak severed her connection to any magic she had. Maybe she didn't have a wand. No one knows but Merope," Melinda said.

"Merope went into labor and had Tom at an orphanage in London, on December 31st, 1926. Tom Marvolo Riddle, named after his father, and grandfather. He grew up there, and he wasn't treated very well. WWII was during his time and it probably wasn't very safe. He was thought of a freak, seeing as he could do odd things."

Melinda shrugged.

"The point is, Tom grew up in a bad environment. He never learned what love was and he learned to resent it. It was weakness in his eyes and there was no room for weakness in the orphanage. When he found out he was a wizard, that he was special, he wanted, no needed to prove himself."

Melinda stopped for a second, and took a breath.

"Unfortunately, he wasn't exactly in a position being muggle raised to get far without proving himself. He did, and he fell into the wrong things too fast. He eventually became obsessed with never dying, like his mother had. He ripped his soul apart on his quest for immortality and became the monster, Lord Voldemort."

Annabeth blinked.

"Is Luke going to become like that?" she asked softly, and Melinda could see the tears brimming in Annabeth's down turned eyes.

"I didn't tell you that story to make you feel bad Annabeth. Tom and Luke have similarities, I'll admit, but they are completely different as well," Melinda said, and thought of what Luke had told her before he left.

How he had kissed her. Even though she didn't feel that sort of love for him, she now knew how deep his feelings for her ran.

"Luke knows love, he understands humanity in a way that Tom didn't," Melinda assured. "We'll try to reach him Annabeth, I swear."

Annabeth nodded and then looked thoughtful.

She turned and asked, "How did Tom betray you, Melinda? I thought you said he was born in 1926?"

Melinda sighed, and nodded.

"He was, but his method of immortality was severing his soul using magic and putting it into objects. His first was when he was around sixteen, and the object was his diary. He messed up though, put too much into the diary making it different from the rest. It was like that one Horcrux – what the item is called – was more sentient, had all those traits that Voldemort thought of as human weakness. The ability to love, to be human essentially. His humanity."

She brush some of her hair behind her ear as she continued.

"In my second year, Lucius Malfoy, a follower of Voldemort, put his diary into my stuff. I didn't know what it was and began writing in it. You know I keep a collection of diaries myself. To my surprise it began writing back. Tom was charming, he was nice and he understood me. We were alike in ways. We both lived at places we hated. We were both raised by muggles we detested, and we were Half-Bloods – though myself in the way we know."

Annabeth frowned.

"Something tells me you're about to tell me something I don't want to hear," she muttered and Melinda chuckled.

"Probably," she said and then began her story again.

"Soon, I began blacking out, and once I even woke up with blood and feathers covering me. I had no memory of what happened or how, and I got scared. Tom seemed to be keeping things from me, so I tried to get rid of the diary. Ginny, a friend of mine, found it and began writing in it. Later I found out that the diary had been housing the sixteen year old memory of Voldemort, Tom Riddle, and he'd been possessing me in order to reopen the chamber of secrets."

"Chamber of Secrets, I think I read about that in one of those books," Annabeth said, and then she frowned. "He possessed you?"

"You probably did, and yes," she replied.

"He was now using Ginny to return to life by taking her magic, life force, and basically soul. He used his influence in order to make me get rid of the diary so he didn't have to continue to take mine, ending in my death. He'd grown fond of me, fonder than he wanted too. In the end I destroyed the diary with a poisonous fang. So, his betrayal wasn't as blunt as Luke's, but it was just as painful because it was the first time and I thought he was my friend, and my first crush."

"And you couldn't save him," Annabeth said in realization, and Melinda smiled slightly.

"In a way I did. Hecate came to me that summer, before my third year, and had Tom with her. He explained how he botched the first attempt at a Horcrux and how my destroying the diary had given him, the chance to gain back perceptive of where he went wrong. I guess Tom and Voldemort, in the end were truly two different people."

"Does it get easier?" Annabeth asked.

"Losing people you love or care about?" Melinda asked. "No, not really. But it hurt less over time."

Annabeth nodded, blinking hard to force the her tears back.

"Logically though, what are our chances of Luke listening to us?" Annabeth suddenly asked, serious.

Melinda looked at her and laughed.

"You know, you remind me so much of Hermione at this age," Melinda said, smiling.

"Hermione?" Annabeth asked.

"My best friend, besides Ron and Neville. You've probably seen pictures of us together in the cabin. Hermione is the girl with bushy hair and intelligent brown eyes?" Melinda said, phrasing it sort of like a question.

Annabeth's eyes lit up.

"The one in the picture with you, a redhead and a brown haired boy? The one on your dresser?" she asked and Melinda nodded.

"Yes," she said. "She is a legacy of Athena, along with being a witch."

"She's related to me?" Annabeth asked, surprised. "She's a legacy, meaning one of her parents was a demigod of Athena?"

Melinda shook her head.

"No, not exactly. Hermione is Athena's great-great-great granddaughter, give or take a great. But she is as intelligent and wise as any child of Athena I've ever met," Melinda said.

"And if I know Hermione like I think I do, I figure she'd say something semi-cryptic like – mind over matter, or something along those lines."

"In other words, we won't know our chances until we see him next," Annabeth said.

Melinda nodded.

"Exactly."

"Thank you, Mel, for coming. It really helped. And maybe in the future I can meet your friends, and Hermione. It would be nice to meet someone other than my siblings that is related to Athena."

Melinda nodded and before she could speak she saw a female, not quite middle aged yet, step out the back door.

"Annabeth, lunch is ready. You and your friend come inside and eat," the woman called and Annabeth called back her acknowledgment.

"My stepmother," Annabeth said, as they stood and walked towards the house. "Um, you have time to stay and eat, right?"

Melinda nodded.

"I think I can spare another hour or two."

Annabeth nodded, grinned and the two entered the house together. The door shutting behind them.


	3. Normal Is Overrated

**AN: So here it is! I hope you all like this chapter, and I want to thank everyone for all the reviews, I was surprised by how many there were so far.  
**

**Now on to a warning for all those who might need it.  
**

**There is some more mature themes later in the chapter, but nothing you wouldn't see on normal TV.  
**

**So, everyone enjoy!  
**

* * *

**The Sea's Daughter: Sea of Monsters.**

**Chapter 3: Normal Is Overrated. **

Melinda couldn't help but push Percy during their training sessions once every two weeks, give or take. She knew this training could save his life in the future, so she started out fair, but ended up playing dirty.

So, of course this was how she'd gotten her brother on his back with her sword at his throat. With a little help from her natural magic.

"That was cheating!" Percy exclaimed, breathing hard he was rather out of breath.

Melinda smirked and removed Tachýs from his throat, and held out her hand to help Percy up.

"No, that was reality," Melinda said, "an enemy isn't going to play nice, Percy. Luke won't hesitate to fight dirty, and neither will anyone else. It's prey and predator in a war Percy, sometimes you have to make yourself the predator, instead of the prey."

Percy blinked, and rubbed the back of his neck once on his feet again.

"In other words, I need to start taking training more seriously," he said, almost sounding disappointed that he might have disappointed her.

Melinda shrugged.

"I suppose that's one way to take it," Melinda replied. "I don't expect you be anything other then yourself, or a thirteen year old boy, but sooner or later things are going take a turn for the worse. I just want you to be ready for anything."

Percy nodded, and Melinda took a step back and twirled Tachýs (still in sword form) in her hand.

"Come on, once more, and I promise not to use magic this time," Melinda said. "Then we'll go for ice cream."

Percy grinned and readied Riptide, they circled one another for a few seconds when Melinda made the first move.

Tachýs collided with Riptide and the two siblings began to attack one another in what almost seemed like a dance.

Melinda may not be the best with a sword, but she was more experienced and had agility on her side. She been used to dodging deadly curses, and her relatives since she was younger than Percy.

So it was no big problem for her to avoid blows delivered from Riptide.

Melinda avoided Riptide once more, though the blue sweater she wore over her tank top, was no so lucky.

She used this time to swing Tachýs around and whack Percy in the ribs hard enough that he dropped his guard.

It was an easy matter after that for her to use the disarming technique she knew Luke had taught Percy, and that Percy was fond of, against him.

Riptide clattered against the nearby alleyway wall (they were in the alleyway next to the apartment building, but she'd created wards around the area so mortals wouldn't notice).

"I still can't beat you, even with you using a sword," Percy sulked with a sigh.

Melinda beamed proudly.

"No, but you've lasted longer then most your age might. I've had nearly eight years to train and fight, you've only had a few months. Give it time, you'll be a great hero one day."

Percy grinned and felt Riptide return to his pocket, and Melinda allowed Tachýs to return to ring form on her hand.

"Come on, I think I promised you ice cream," she said, and chuckled. "Sally's going to kill me for spoiling your dinner."

Percy snickered and said, "Better you than me, sis!"

Melinda sent him an amused, yet halfhearted glare before rolling her eyes, and they continued on to the closest ice cream shop

**xXx**

Besides training Percy, life was actually...dare she say it...normal.

August, turned to September, and September faded into October, and eventually November.

And yet the worse that had happened was when she'd been showing Percy how there was more to their powers then water manipulation.

He'd accidentally caused a bit of an earthquake which even the mortals noticed – it wasn't very big, but it was also short lived, but large enough to cause car alarms to go off.

She figured after that it was safer to stick to water based power training until he was older.

He seemed perfectly fine with that, and she'd taken him to the beach after school the middle of October while it was still relatively warm enough to go.

She'd never used her abilities all that often, but she'd tried to train in them as often as she could.

Forming ice out of water was one of the first tricks she'd learned, and she'd taught Percy enough that he could form a rather sturdy ice cube after his tenth attempt.

It wasn't easy for him, but she figured that might have to do with her having magic and a connection to Hecate.

Not to mentioned when she'd first done this it had been when she'd faced a mountain troll threatening her friends.

She knew with practice Percy would be able to be as good if not better with his water abilities than her.

During these months, when they weren't training in weapons, or abilities, Melinda still saw her younger brother quite often.

Seeing as she now worked at his school, and to be honest she wasn't sure what she taught at first.

She pretty much assisted any teachers that asked and later when the Ancient History teacher left, she taught the class on Ancient History, or in most cases, mythology.

She didn't just focus on Greek or Roman either, she also worked with other mythologies.

Celtic, Norse, Egyptian, Babylonian.

Despite being dyslexic it wasn't all that hard as one might think, she just bought Latin editions, or translated her version of the text books into Ancient Greek.

She tried to write as much as she could in English, knowing she needed to try and move past her dyslexia instead of taking the easy way out.

Eventually it just got so hectic that she pretty much wrote things out in a mix of English and Ancient Greek, and translated what needed to be in English using the spell she'd learned in her first year of Hogwarts.

She also saw Hades more than she thought she would. With The arrival of September came the return of his wife to the underworld.

Yet, surprisingly she saw him at least three times a month, sometimes more often when she took the few chances she had to travel to the Underworld.

Some may think it crazy that she willingly went to the Underworld, but she found nothing to fear from the dead or from her lovers domain.

She didn't travel to Hades' castle though, she would usually find herself keeping Cerberus company or simply wondering around.

Sometimes she ran into her grams, and others she was stopped by Thanatos for a chat.

She had become used to seeing Thanatos after the first few times they stumbled upon one another, though the god of death was always busy, so their conversations never lasted longer than a half hour.

When it came to seeing Hades it was usually them meeting close to the River Styx, or while she kept Cerberus company.

She actually didn't see him as often as she'd like, but that was just the price to pay for their affair.

He was a busy god, and the last thing she wanted was for Persephone to catch on.

She didn't think Persephone would like her if or when it came out about her and Hades.

She didn't think any of the female spouses, besides perhaps Aphrodite, liked it when their spouses went out on them with mortals.

Personally, she didn't see the problem, as it was obvious as much as the gods couldn't stay away from falling for mortals, they still loved their immortal wives.

But she wasn't married to a god either. So what did she know?

She would just rather avoid being vaporized by her lovers angry wife.

The first weekend of November, she found herself enjoying the odd normality which had fallen over her. Best of all she wasn't enjoying it alone.

"Why are we watching this?" Hades asked dryly as he glared at the TV screen.

Melinda opened her mouth to answer, but one look at Hades and back to the screen which depicted a cartoon Disney animation of... Hades (from Hercules, the animated series), and she couldn't hold back the laughter anymore.

Hades sighed, frowning, but slightly amused as he stared at the woman laughing hysterically next to him.

"I don't look like that, or act like that," he added.

Melinda wiped tears of mirth from her eyes as she tried to contain her laughter.

She had fallen off the couch and now sat on her bottom on the floor in front of the couch. Reaching over she shut off the TV, and looked up towards him and smiled coyly.

"I don't know, I think there are some similarities," Melinda said, and she turned onto her knees and stood enough to sit practically on his lap.

Hades rose an eyebrow.

"Really?"

Melinda nodded slowly and laughed, leaning her face into the crook of his neck. She couldn't help but jump slightly when she felt his lips on her bare neck.

"I don't understand your taste in television sometimes, Lin," he said and Melinda smirked and leaned back up.

"I don't think men are supposed to understand women," Melinda muttered and threw her leg over his lap so she straddling him.

"Don't start something you can't finish," Hades said, looking at her with intense eyes which got the point across.

"Do I ever?" she asked, leaning down and capturing his mouth with hers.

She didn't think much when in these sort of situations, the blood rushing around her body and fueling her hormones didn't leave much room to really think.

She did noticed when she lost her shirt, leaving her only in her bra, and was flipped onto her back.

"If I lose a shirt, you're losing a shirt," she gasped, out of breath, and through the feeling cursing through her.

Hades' only acknowledgment was to grunt as he planted kisses along her jaw line and neck area.

Rolling her eyes in amusement, she moved her hands to undo the buttons on his black shirt.

The two were so busy, they didn't notice the door opening.

By the time they noticed, Melinda had flipped them over so she was once again on top of Hades, who was now just as shirtless as her.

"Me-Mel?"

Melinda froze, her eyes widening as she sat up straight from her position straddling Hades, him frozen beneath her, his hands having been in the process of unzipping her jeans.

Looking over to the front door area where she met her worse nightmare.

No, on second thought, her worse nightmare would be her father having walked in on this, the mere thought made her shiver. Not for her sake exactly, but for Hades' and the mortals sake.

But this was nearly as bad.

Standing, frozen not far behind the couch was her brother, his eyes so wide she feared they would fly out of his head.

His face was red, and he didn't seem to be breathing at first glance.

"Percy," she gasped.

Jumping from the couch and her position, she came to stand in front of the couch, only to realize she only wore a bra and her jeans were unbuttoned and partially unzipped and bunched down slightly.

Percy turned even redder, and looked down.

Melinda wasted no time grabbing her shirt from where Hades had tossed the red fabric.

Pulling it back on, she hastily pulled her jeans up completely and buttoned them.

Hades had followed her example, seeing no use trying to pretend he wasn't there, and was currently buttoning up his own shirt.

Percy was still frozen to his spot, staring at the scene he'd interrupted with an expression even Melinda couldn't read.

"Uh...Uncle?" Percy said, his eyes blinking rapidly as his shock faded enough for him to function. "What are... how did...why..."

Unfortunately, Melinda worried her brother might be scarred for life.

Hades cleared his throat, at the awkwardness of this situation.

"Nephew," he said, nodding at the boy.

"Percy, let me explain," Melinda began, and then turned to Hades for a split second. "Uh...this isn't, oh crap."

Melinda didn't know what to say, she hadn't even dreamed anyone would walk in on them.

_::Poor, poor young hatchling.::_

She vaguely heard Sesha hiss as she slithered from the hallway.

_::I know how you feel, it's rather annoying how they go at it in the oddest places. Just two weeks ago I walked in on them on the kitchen table...people eat at that table!:: _

Melinda glared at Sesha, despite the fact only she could understand her serpent familiar.

_::Sesha!:: _she scolded.

Percy seemed startled until he saw Sesha slithering through.

_::Don't mind me, just going to go hunting. Leave you to your awkward moments,::_ Sesha hissed and made her way out the door Percy hadn't shut all the way in his shock.

Melinda sighed.

"Go to the kitchen, Perce," Melinda said. "I'll be in there in a minute to explain."

Percy looked between his uncle and sister and nodded, nearly running into the kitchen.

"That was... unlucky," Hades muttered.

Melinda chuckled.

"We seem to have the worse luck," Melinda joked, recalling their first date and it's near disastrous ending.

Hades chuckled and nodded.

"I should go, before we scar Perseus too terribly," Hades said.

Melinda sighed and nodded.

"Alright," she said and not to her surprise he gave her chaste kiss before dissolving into shadows and leaving.

She sighed, rolling her eyes and straightened her clothes before heading to the kitchen.

She had damage control to accomplish.

xXx

Percy felt as if his eyes had been doused in acid the moment he'd entered his sisters apartment. He wished he had knocked now.

Seeing his sister like that was more then his brain could take and he'd barely been able to get her name out to alert her of his presence.

His brain had completely shut down for a few minutes when he realized the man his sister was... with Hades.

He shivered, not even wanting to acknowledge his sister in that sort of situation.

Soon though, the fact he might not be able to look Melinda in the eyes again for a while faded to a protective feeling.

Hades was a god, and gods left their mortal lovers sooner or later.

Melinda was mortal. He didn't want her to get hurt, but as she explained to him when her relationship began with Hades, he realized she was already aware it couldn't last.

That didn't mean he didn't want to protect his sister, but he doubted his uncle would be threatened by a demigod such as himself.

"So, it's been going on for months now?" Percy finally asked. "Does dad know?"

Melinda's eyes widened and he realized their father probably didn't or else Hades might not have been safe out of his domain for a while.

Even from only one meeting with his father he knew their dad was very protective of them, especially Melinda.

"No, and he can't know," Melinda said.

"Eventually it's going to come out," Percy said, and Melinda sighed.

His sister sat the cup of cocoa, that she'd made during her discussion with him over the last few minutes, down in front of him.

Then she sat down with her own cup across from him.

"I know, but I'd rather avoid that for now," Melinda said. "I'm sorry for what you walked in on, I should have locked the door."

Percy blushed at the reminder and nodded.

"I should have knocked," he said. "I uh...wanted to ask if you wanted to spend Thanksgiving with me and my mom."

Melinda smiled.

"I'd love too," she said, and the two sat in silence after that, finishing their cocoa.

Once they'd finished, Melinda saw her brother out and shut the door behind him.

Looking at where Sesha had returned as Percy left, and was now curled up on the arm of the couch she sighed.

"So much for normal," she said and Sesha rose her head and gave the snake version of a snort.

_::Normal is overrated.:: _


	4. A Time of Peace, Sort Of

**AN: So, the next chapter. **

**I hope you all enjoy this chapter, seeing as some things are revealed. **

**Also, I figure I should let everyone know we are getting close to the end of Hades/Melinda, and will be starting the Sea of Monsters saga in a few chapters. **

**I estimate around four, maybe less, maybe more. It all depends.  
**

**Also, to some Sally may seem a little OOC in this chapter. But we don't really see a lot of Sally's character in the PJO books, and other than what we do see I think there is a lot to explore with Sally's character given the right situation. **

**So hopefully you all like Sally in this chapter and don't think she's to OOC.  
**

**Anyways, Enjoy and let me know what you all think.  
**

* * *

**The Sea's Daughter: Sea of Monsters.**

**Chapter 4: A Time of Peace, Sort Of. **

Melinda didn't think Percy could look her in the eyes for a week after he'd walked in on her and Hades.

But than, she'd had a hard time looking at her brother for about a day until the incident didn't seem all that embarrassing to her anymore.

It could have been worse, and she had since reminded herself to lock the door from then on if she was with Hades.

She probably could have offered to erase his memory of it. It would be easier to keep her and Hades a secret on the off chance Percy accidentally spilled to the wrong person – and she wouldn't be all that surprised if he did knowing her luck.

But she didn't want to bring it up, seeing as Percy seemed so embarrassed over what he had seen, and she didn't like taking memories from people.

Erasing any part of her brother's memory just didn't sit right for her, so she didn't mention it.

Besides, it would teach him to knock before entering.

She was just relieved that she hadn't been doing more with Hades when Percy had decided to walk in.

As she'd mentioned, it could have been a whole lot worse.

But time passed, and after a week it was nearly completely forgotten, but as she'd suspected her brother had begun knocking instead of just walking in.

It wasn't like she minded him just walking in, but she found it sort of amusing that day had stuck with him deeply enough for him to begin knocking, even when he knew she didn't have anyone over.

It was on a normal school day the first signs that something was different hit her. Or more like, the worse nausea and heartburn had hit her.

After the nausea passed – something she'd been positive would end in her running for the nearest bathroom – she had soldiered on.

Even though she had felt strange the rest of the day. Tired even, but she was tired a lot lately.

But time moved forward, and even with the occasional bout of nausea, heartburn and other aches, she didn't think much on it. Assuming it was stress related.

Then, Thanksgiving finally came.

She had been waiting for this day for a while, she had few fond memories of holidays – and there wasn't exactly Thanksgiving in England anyways, so this was technically her first Thanksgiving.

She enjoyed any time she got to spend with friends and family.

_::Dammit!::_ Melinda hissed in Parseltongue as she plopped down on her bed, giving up on buttoning her jeans.

Sesha raised her head at the distressed hiss.

_::What's wrong, Mistress? You sound upset,::_ she asked, and Melinda sighed, standing and shimmying out of the skinny jeans.

_::I can't get my jeans on,::_ Melinda admitted, shoving the jeans into the hamper with more force than was probably necessary. _::Actually, a lot of my clothes are getting hard to button or zip.::_

Sesha raised an eyebrow at her Mistress and if a snake could twitch, then Sesha would be as she tried to stop from laughing.

Melinda looked at Sesha oddly as she pulled out a skirt which had an elastic waist and she was sure would fit, and a ocean blue colored blouse.

_::Well, you have been eating more lately,::_ Sesha said, and laid her head back down on the pillow she curled up on.

For some reason Melinda almost felt as if Sesha knew something she wasn't grasping.

Pulling the white pleated dip hem skirt on and then the blue blouse, Melinda was relieved that both fit well enough.

"I didn't think I'd gained that much weight though," Melinda muttered, as she sat down and pulled on the blue high heels.

_::It's only natural,::_ Sesha said, and slithered down the bed to slither up her right arm and wrap around it, resting her head on Melinda's shoulder.

"I guess you're right Sesha," Melinda said, shrugging.

_::Yes, and if you're so concerned about your clothes, why not just adjust the size with magic?:: _

Melinda froze as she grabbed her handbag, and groaned, looking up at the ceiling in frustration.

"Why didn't I think of that?" she muttered, and made sure Helios had a way back inside if he arrived from his first flight that night.

Despite it not being the safest thing to leave a window open, she felt safe enough, and she had wards around the apartment.

If someone tried to get in that was unfamiliar to her or the wards, she would be alerted immediately. She was happy she'd taken Ancient Runes in Hogwarts, despite it having been a tougher subject for her to grasp at first.

She'd decided he was ready for his first flight, seeing as she wanted to send out late birthday presents to Ginny, Bellona, and Hermione.

That had been two days ago, he'd be back any time now, if her math was right.

She was pulled from her thoughts when she'd arrived at Sally and Percy's apartment and knocked, waiting for the door to be opened.

She wasn't made to wait long, and she was ushered in by Sally.

She noticed that Sally wore a pair of black dress pants and ivory colored blouse.

Percy was inside as well, sitting on the couch in a familiar pair of pants she remembered getting him that summer at Madam Malkins.

He was probably the most casually dressed of the three, having a simple blue shirt on and regular sneakers.

"Mel!" Percy said, grinning at his sister in greeting.

When he came over he noticed Sesha as well, and nodded at the serpent, who he'd grown used to.

"Hi, Sesha," he said, reaching out and stroking the serpents scaled head.

Sesha raised up some and gave a snake version of a nod to her Mistresses brother.

_::Young hatchling, I see you've become better since your ordeal the week before,::_ she hissed, happy to see the boy wasn't too terribly scarred.

Sesha thought for sure she'd have gone blind the first time she realized what her Mistress was doing, and quickly fled – this had been years ago when Fred was still alive though.

Percy blinked, as did Sally, both knowing the serpent had said something. But not knowing what.

Melinda looked down some and her face flushed.

"What did she say?" Percy asked.

"She said, hi, as well," Melinda said, and it was the truth.

She just omitted the fact Sesha had brought up _the event_, knowing Percy would much rather pretend he'd never seen anything and everything was normal.

Sally had almost finished dinner, and though Mel offered to help, Sally told her to keep Percy company. That was fine, Melinda was just happy to find Percy had returned to normal around her.

He told her how he'd been practicing in the house, despite her warning that he probably shouldn't, and had ended up knocking over the china cabinet.

It did explain why there were a near complete lack of objects in the large cabinet.

In return she answered his questions. Which mostly concerned when they'd train next and if she'd help him with his essay on the differences and similarities between different Pantheons of mythology.

Greek, Roman, Norse, Egyptian, Celtic – the ones they'd went over in class so far.

She was happy when dinner was ready, but for some reason the only thing she could stand the smell of was the ham. The potatoes were alright as well, and the cranberry sauce...but the stuffing, turkey, green beans, and coleslaw made bile rise in her throat.

She knew this was rather weird, considering she was hungry as well, having not ate much knowing Sally would have a big dinner cooked.

"I think I should thank you, Mel," Sally said, during dinner. "Since you've began working at the school, he seems to actually enjoy a class."

Melinda smiled, swallowing the little food she'd had in her mouth.

"I can't tak -" she frowned, pursing her lips as the nausea returned full force. "- take all..."

Melinda placed a hand over her chest, trying to mentally will the nausea and bile down. She couldn't explain it, and she saw Percy and Sally both looking at her in concern.

"Are you alright, sis?" Percy asked, and Melinda nodded, covered her mouth and looking around she noticed the garbage can inside the kitchen.

The dinning table was in just the right location for her to see it and she extended her hand and made a come hither motion.

The garbage can shot over into her hand and she had just enough time to turn and puke what little she'd eaten and whatever else would come out into the bag.

Once the first wave passed she stood, giving Sally and Percy apologetic looks.

"I..I'm sorry, I don't know wha – " she stopped.

The bile once again rose in her throat and she grabbed the garbage can again and headed for the first room she saw – the Kitchen.

Sally and Percy exchanged looks at the sounds of Melinda retching into the can.

"It wasn't the food was it?" Percy asked, worried about his sister.

Sally frowned, and shook her head.

"I'll go make sure she's alright," Sally said, and stood. "Stay and eat. I don't think it was the food, she didn't eat but a bite or two."

Percy frowned, not liking the fact he was being left out but the allure of food and fact he knew his mother wouldn't budge, won over and he nodded.

**xXx**

Melinda sighed as she turned off the sink faucet, water running down her face before she grabbed a paper towel and drying her face off.

Thank gods for waterproof mascara, she couldn't help but think, before turning when she heard what she knew was Sally entering behind her seconds later.

"You alright?" the older woman asked and Melinda turned around, leaning against the counter.

"Yeah... I'm fine now," she replied.

Sally nodded, and lent on the counter next to the stove and to the right side of her.

"So, I've heard you were seeing someone," Sally began a second later, startling her. "Hades, huh?"

Melinda stared at her mortified, did everyone know?

"Sally how did... Percy let it slip huh?" she asked, after realizing what had happened.

Sally threw her head back and laughed before grinning at her.

"Honey, that boy was so frightened by what he saw, he..." Sally couldn't get the rest out as she burst into more laughter.

"MOM!" Percy yelled from the room over and Melinda laughed along with Sally.

Pulling out her Cypress wand she flicked it, and made it so nothing could be heard from outside the room – like a instant soundproofing spell.

"Basically, I asked him once what was wrong and it all came tumbling out," Sally said, and then after a minute she smirked. "So... was the sex good?"

Melinda's eyes widened, the blood rushed to her face, and she was sure her heart had stopped for about three beats.

"Sally!" she gasped, and Sally chuckled, walking over to the fridge to get two bottles of water. "Do you kiss your son goodnight with that mouth?"

Sally laughed, and shook her head as she reached the water bottle to the young woman.

"It's an honest question, I mean if he was anything like Posei..."

Melinda practically flew over to the garbage can began puking again, and Sally raised an eyebrow.

"Wow, was the thought that repulsing?" she asked, and Melinda raised up and glared at the woman.

"Okay, first, I know what you were going to say and...no... I don't want to know how my father was in bed. Just...ewww."

Melinda shivered as she wiped her mouth on a paper towel.

"Secondly," Melinda smirked momentarily. "Yes."

She didn't elaborate, she knew Sally would realize she was answering her earlier question.

Sally laughed and frowned when she saw the face Melinda was making before she dropped the paper towel and bent over the garbage can again.

"Gods, do you have the flu or something. A stomach bug?" Sally asked, grabbing another paper towel and walking over to help her sons half-sister.

"No, I've never actually been sick before, come to think of it," Melinda said, shrugging. "Besides a cold every now and then."

Sally looked at the girl with a sense of slight dread.

"Did you eat something today, besides..."

Melinda shook her head.

"I didn't eat anything but a bagel this morning and a sandwich for lunch," Melinda said, "I knew you'd be cooking a lot tonight so I didn't eat a lot."

"Gods, you're not pregnant are you?" Sally asked and Melinda laughed.

"That's impossible..." Melinda began and then she stopped short, her eyes widening slowly as the thought finally struck her.

Sally winced, and sighed.

"Oh gods," Melinda muttered, looking at Sally with trepidation. "I can't be... right?"

"Did you use protection?" Sally asked.

Melinda blinked.

"Yes, at least I think we did every time. I mean, even if we didn't... I..." Melinda blinked trying to think when the last time she'd taken a birth control potion had been.

In the magical world there was no such thing as birth control like muggles knew it. There were some spells, but they were less certain than the potion meant for females. It worked basically like the pill, but magical.

It didn't necessary make it so the eggs couldn't be fertilized as much as it made a magical barrier of sorts that stopped anything from getting to the eggs.

Like a net, or at least that was how Madam Pomfrey had explained it to her, and most muggleborns.

Truth be told, she just knew the potion was the best option and didn't care how exactly it differed from Muggle birth control. She also knew you only had to take it once a year... had that year passed? Did the potion not stop godly baby makers?

"Birth control?" Sally asked.

Melinda groaned.

"It's actually a potion, similar to the pill. I think a years expired though, I don't know, I can't remember when I took it last. Which can't be a good sign. I wasn't really thinking about that at the time," Melinda said. "It's been weeks since we last..."

Melinda flushed as she trailed off and Sally sighed.

"Well, condoms only work so well, and birth control... well Percy's sitting out there right now," Sally said, smiling.

Melinda grimaced.

"Both failed?"

Sally nodded.

"It broke, and apparently the pill was no match for godly sperm," she answered, and Melinda groaned. "When was your last period?"

"I don't know, it's been so stressful lately. I just can't remember. A month or two ago, maybe," Melinda said.

"Well, there is only one way to find out if you are or not," Sally said, and Melinda blinked. "Come on."

"Now?" Melinda asked.

"Do you want to find out tonight... or tomorrow?" Sally asked, and Melinda sighed.

"Now," Melinda said and Sally left the kitchen.

Melinda canceled the spell on the kitchen before exiting, and looked at where Sally was telling Percy they were going out for about a hour and if he would be alright on his own.

"I'm thirteen mom, I'll be fine," Percy said.

Sally smiled and nodded, grabbing her coat and keys.

"You alright, Mel?" Percy asked as she passed.

Melinda smiled.

"I'm fine, just a little shocked," she replied, though Percy seemed a bit confused.

_::Sesha?::_ Melinda called and looked over to the fish tank and blinked.

Sesha had found her way on top of it and had her tail dangling into the tank with the three clown fish.

_::Go without me Mistress, busy,:: _Sesha said, her eyes locked on the water and fish. _::Ha-ha, come to me little fishes!:: _

Melinda rolled her eyes.

"Watch Sesha, Percy," Melinda said as she shut the door behind her.

**xXx**

They reached the local all night store about thirty minutes later and were practically running around trying to find the right isle.

"Oh, Melinda, I found them!" Sally called and Melinda backed up to go down the lane Sally had taken.

Sure enough a wide variety of pregnancy test stared back at her mockingly.

"Which one do we use?" Melinda asked, picking up one with a long narrow box – though most had long boxes.

Sally shrugged.

"Take one or two of them all?" she suggested more than asked.

Melinda looked at the blue eyed woman she'd come to see as a close friend and shrugged. The two began piling different test into the basket Sally had and then headed for the register.

The cashier looked at them strangely as he scanned the nearly twenty test. Paying the total the two women were quick to leave and head back home.

Twenty minutes later they were back at Sally's apartment.

Percy stared at them oddly when his mother said a quick greeting to him and moved past to her bedroom which had the bathroom across the hall.

"What's in the bags?" Percy asked, walking over and trying to look in the bag Melinda had.

Melinda moved the bag away, and shook her head.

"If you don't want nightmares, little brother, I really wouldn't look in that," she said, smiled and ruffled his hair before following Sally back to her room.

"Oh, and Perce. Stay in the living room for now, please?" she suggested, almost asked, and he blinked but nodded.

"Sure," he said, shrugging but she could tell he was curious and suspicious.

When Melinda arrived in Sally's room she'd unpacked the pregnancy test on her bed, and Melinda followed her example and dumped her bag on the bed as well.

"So... I guess you should start," Sally said, thrusting the first test into her hands. "Good luck."

Melinda pouted slightly before allowing Sally to gently push her towards the bathroom.

She wasn't sure how long she was on the toilet, and she wasn't sure what it was about the sort of fruity odd drinks Sally had thrown in the basket last minute that made her pee so much.

She was probably on like the fifth or seventh test when Sally poked her head in with one of the test in hand.

"This one has a smiley face... oh, wait..." Sally trailed off, her smile faltering as she tilted her head. "That's not good."

Melinda groaned, pulling the current test from between her legs and handing it to Sally.

"How long can this take," she said, as she began drinking the oddly flavored drink.

Five more minutes, more positive test, and some frustration later she had finished the sixteenth test and Sally was inside her room, looking at the sixteen test spread out on her bed.

"Oh, these can't all be positive," Sally said, shaking her head. "Let me try one."

Melinda chuckled as she pulled her skirt back up and exited the bathroom for Sally to sit on the toilet, a fresh test in hand.

Melinda sat on the bed with a plop, picking up one of her test with a sigh. Then she chuckled at the irony, looked like Hades had broken the oath after all.

Then she groaned, and flopped back against the bed with a groan.

The oath, oh this was so not going to make the gods happy campers.

Another few minutes later she sat up on the bed next to Sally who was staring at her test with wide eyes.

"What the hell?" she asked, "do you see this? What the hell?"

Positive...

Melinda looked around and noticed a negative almost instantly among the many positives and smiled at Sally.

"I think you picked up the wrong one, Sally," she said and Sally sighed.

"Oh thank the gods," she said, breathing a sigh of relief. "That scared me, and not to mention be completely impossible."

Melinda sent her look and she smiled.

"Sorry," Sally said.

"Now I know where Percy gets his more annoying qualities," Melinda said and Sally smiled.

"It'll be fine, Mel," Sally said. "I mean, it could be worse. You're pregnant, you're going to be fine. What is the worse that could happen?"

Melinda sent her a wide eyed look.

"I don't know, but now that you've said it," Melinda began, "A monster could attack, or Olympus could find out. For some reason I don't think uncle Zeus will like the fact there is a new possibility for the Great Prophecy."

Sally grimaced.

"Oh honey, I understand. When Poseidon told me about the oath and the fact he'd broken it with me, well I was terrified every time there was a thunderstorm. If there was lightning, I didn't leave the house."

Melinda sighed, and then smiled.

"You think I'll be a good mother?" she asked, suddenly starting to enjoy the idea.

She'd always wanted kids, maybe not this young, but being a demigod it might be the only way she'd ever get the chance.

"You'll be a great mother," Sally told her. "You're great with kids, I mean Percy adores you."

"He's my little brother," Melinda said, "that's a little different."

Sally shrugged.

"Maybe but I've also heard from Percy how you were with your godson. You'll be fine, and I'll be here to help," Sally said, placing a comforting hand on her arm.

Melinda smiled gratefully and nodded.

"You know there is one more thing you have to do," Sally said as they stood.

Melinda looked at her with some dread.

"You have to tell him," Sally said.

Melinda blinked, and sighed.

"Do I have too? Can't I just wait... until after I see a doctor. You know, to be sure. Those test could be wrong."

Sally raised an eyebrow.

"All seventeen?"

"Fine, I'll tell him the next time he comes. He doesn't exactly have a number you know," she said and Sally snorted.

"Yeah, gods usually don't."


	5. Between a River and Hard Place

**AN: So, I was so happy by how many reviews last chapter got. I am also glad everyone seems to like the twist, hopefully everyone continues to like the story. I think we have about two chapters before we get back to Camp Half-Blood, so things get real interesting soon.  
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**Next Chapter, Poseidon's Nightmare (yeah, that's the chapter title).  
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**Enjoy!  
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* * *

**The Sea's Daughter: Sea of Monsters.**

**Chapter 5: Between a River and Hard Place. **

The days that followed Thanksgiving were both surreal and a bit terrifying.

It had been a little over a week since the test and Sally had helped her book an appointment with a doctor – something she had no experience with in the muggle world.

It was the same doctor who had delivered Percy, apparently. Sally had told her the man was actually a legacy of Apollo.

One of the reasons Poseidon had sent her in that doctors direction thirteen years before.

The appointment would be on the first of December after she got back from Meriwether with Percy. It was a Friday so it would give her time to visit the Underworld over the weekend.

She unfortunately hadn't seen Hades since a few days after Percy had walked in on them, so around two or so weeks.

This wasn't all that unusual, given the amount of work the Underworld took and his duties. She also knew that if they wanted to keep Persephone none the wiser, him showing up nearly every week would be a bad idea.

As it was, there was no way Persephone wouldn't find out now.

It hadn't been long after Sally reminded her she had to tell Hades, that she recalled the fact she'd have more to tell than that.

Percy – which she was dreading more than telling Hades.

Her friends in England (it was a good thing Helios had returned the day after Thanksgiving, even if she didn't think telling them the new via Owl would be a good idea).

Chiron, which would be nearly as awkward as telling Percy and finally... her father.

When she remembered the fact her father would have to know, and even if she didn't tell him he'd eventually find out considering how big she'd get (or so Sally so kindly told her).

But she digressed, the point was she feared for the mortals and Hades, she knew the sea god had to have a temper after all.

She kept imagining her father barreling towards the Underworld, permission or not, and throwing Hades into the pits of Tartarus in his fury.

She feared he might even sink and island or two, but those were all the worse case scenarios.

Hopefully, everything worked out in the end.

She had enough to deal with now, she didn't need to be paranoid about Olympians trying to kill her, or her father trying to kill Hades.

**xXx**

"Mel," Sally said, waving a hand in front of her face. "We're here."

Melinda took a deep breath and ran a hand through her hair. Sure enough Sally's car was parked outside the local hospital.

Percy sat in the back seat, still out of the loop as to why they were here, and she sighed.

"Right," she said, unbuckling her seat belt.

_::About time, though I don't see the reason. We already know your with hatchlings Mistress,::_ Sesha said from where she was wrapped around Percy, hidden beneath the boys jacket.

Melinda turned to glare at Sesha whose head was poking free and then looked at Percy.

She was a still a little peeved Sesha had been aware that she might be pregnant for about a month or so now, but hadn't said anything.

Apparently it would have ruined the surprise, or so Sesha had said.

"Leave Sesha in the car, Percy..."

Sesha hissed, her hood flaring at her Mistress.

_::Mistress! I must go as well, we both know they will not notice me while I am hidden and the notice-me-not charm is working.:: _

Melinda smiled and nodded.

_::Fine, but no more quips, I'm not in the mood::_

Sesha nodded, but looked almost like she wanted to say something but her Mistresses warning stopped her.

"Melinda?" Percy asked, unsure what the serpent and his sister were talking about.

"Change of plans, just bring her in with us," Melinda said. "Don't let her go anywhere though."

Percy nodded.

"Is anyone going to tell me why we're here?" Percy questioned and Sally and Melinda exchanged looks.

"Well... son, the thing is your sister is..." Sally trailed off, and looked at Melinda. "Mel?"

Melinda shot a look of annoyance at the woman before turning to smile at her brother.

"I'm here for a test, and when I get the results... we'll talk," Melinda said and Percy blinked in confusion before sighing.

"Fine," he grumbled, opening the door on his side.

All three got out and began walking to the hospital doors. Once they let the nurse know they had arrived for their appointment with Dr. Ellis, the nurse pointed out where they should wait.

The wait was rather short lived, and she was called back soon after.

Though she did notice how Percy kept looking around suspiciously at the few pregnant ladies waiting for their appointments as well.

She knew her brother was smart in his own right, and would probably catch on sooner or later, and by the way he looked from one expecting mother to her and repeated the process made her think it may be sooner rather than later.

"Ms. Potter-Black," a nurse said as she came out with a clipboard. "Dr. Ellis is ready."

Melinda took a breath and nodded, and Sally stood with her.

"Stay here, Percy," Sally told the boy who didn't seem to know whether to stay seated or go with them. "We wont be long."

Percy nodded almost hesitantly.

As Melinda and Sally left to follow the nurse, Melinda was sure she heard one of the patiently waiting pregnant women asking Percy if it was his mother or sister who was expecting soon.

Oh, she so hoped that conversation didn't go far.

**xXx**

Melinda stared at the screen in terror – well, maybe terror was a strong word, but it was scary!

Actually, she couldn't believe she hadn't known she was pregnant, the doctor was just as surprised. Sally had looked at her with surprise and a bit of envy.

Apparently when Sally was pregnant with Percy he was never settled down and began making his presence known through morning sickness by the eighth week.

By the end of her first trimester Sally was apparently rather obviously pregnant with a softly rounded baby belly.

According to the doctor, Melinda was closer to seventeen weeks along, and was slightly concerned with the fact it was not clearly noticeable yet.

Sure, when she'd sat down and lifted her shirt for Dr. Ellis it was not as flat as it had been a month or two ago, but it wasn't as large as Dr. Ellis thought it should be for seventeen weeks.

Especially since there was more than one baby.

"That's... that's them?" Melinda asked, blinking as she stared at the screen showing her the baby or babies as it turned out.

"Twins," Dr. Ellis said, smiling slightly. "Yes, that's them."

"Can you tell the gender yet?" Sally asked, her hand rested comfortingly on Melinda's shoulder.

Sally could understand the fear of Melinda knowing she was without a doubt pregnant. She'd been only a little older than Melinda when she was pregnant with Percy. Of course, she hadn't been surprised with twins.

Dr. Ellis shook her head.

"She seems to be just now going into her fourth month. I wont be able to tell for a few more weeks, by next month I'll be able to tell," Dr. Ellis answered.

"I am more concerned for her weight gain. The babies seem to be perfectly healthy but I would feel better if you began eating a little more each day."

Melinda frowned, worry taking over her emotions and face.

"Is there something wrong?" she asked, worried that maybe she'd not taken enough care of herself.

She'd been training Percy for months now, even without realizing she was pregnant. Though recently, since the middle to end of September, it had been maybe once or twice every few weeks.

She'd just been too tired or achy lately to train Percy, and with work and him having school. There wasn't a lot of free time left over.

The last time they'd trained had been... right before he'd stumbled in on her and Hades.

Though the fact she was pregnant explained her strange apatite, heartburn, nausea, headaches, back aches, feelings of gas, and the fact her breast seemed to have gone up a cup size.

She could have really kick herself for not realizing before now.

Dr. Ellis smiled reassuringly.

Which wasn't hard for him, he was an older doctor, probably in his fifties or early sixties. Graying blonde hair and bright blue eyes. Common for a child of Apollo or in this case a legacy (how distant was unknown).

"There doesn't seem to be anything wrong. It is possible that you are just one of those women who don't gain a lot of weight. If it were a single baby I wouldn't be as concerned but with twins, well I'd expect you to have gained about twenty more pounds than you have currently," Dr. Ellis said.

"Just make sure to eat every meal you can, and come back in for a check up on January 6th so we can see how you've been doing. But you and Sally both have my contact numbers if you need to come in sooner for any reason," Dr. Ellis said, standing.

"I'll just go print you some copies of the sonogram," he said, smiling at the two women before leaving the room.

Melinda sat up, and let her shirt fall back over her stomach.

"You still want to help me?" she asked, half joking.

Sally laughed.

"So, maybe I jinxed it with the whole, worse that could happen thing," Sally said, shrugging. "But I will help you if you need it, and even if there is two in there you'll still be fine. You're strong, stronger than anyone I've met."

Melinda flushed some and blinked hard, realizing the moisture in her eyes came from tears. Had to be the hormones, she thought to herself.

"Thanks Sally, and you're right. I'll be fine. I've just got to get things in order. And maybe get a house elf," she said, adding the last as an after thought.

She had no desire to become one of those rich, snobby, Pureblood mothers who let the house elf raise their babies or child until they were old enough to learn the family history and ways.

But she would need some extra help, especially if she were to be needed for the war brewing or another quest.

**xXx**

Percy looked at the photo in his hand, a sonogram his sister had called it, for what felt like the last two hours, but was really only two minutes.

Tilting his head from side to side as if trying to determine what he was looking at.

"This... you're..." Percy tried to get out a sentence but he felt as if his tongue was being glued to the roof of his mouth, and was stuck in his throat. "By Hades?"

Melinda sighed.

"Oh good, than you've had the bird and the bees talk," Melinda said, and Percy gaped at his sister and then glared slightly.

Holding out the picture for his sister to see he began waving it at her.

"You're pregnant!" he finally got out. "And I can't even tell what I'm looking at, it looks like a pickle or something."

Melinda blinked, and shrugged.

It was probably the best reaction she was going to get.

"It's not a pickle and it's they, not it," Melinda corrected, and Percy's eyes blinked rapidly while widening even more.

He tore the picture from where he was waving it at her and took a closer look. She knew he realized there was more than one when his jaw dropped open momentarily.

"Twins?" Percy asked, nearly squeaking.

He gulped.

He couldn't believe, he was going to be an uncle... and even more strange they'd be his cousins as well. Oh gods, he could feel a headache coming on at the strange relationships between his godly family.

Melinda nodded.

"That was why we were at the Hospital today, to make sure the test I'd taken a week ago had been right," Melinda said, and Percy sighed.

"So that's why you puked, and why you've gotten fatt – "

Percy cut himself off at the fierce glare Melinda sent him, her green eyes unusually stormy and dark.

"If you know what's good for you, you wont finish that sentence," Melinda warned. "I'm not fat, I've actually not gained enough weight according to Dr. Ellis."

Percy gulped at the sudden change between his sisters moods and nodded.

"Right," he muttered. "Does Hades know?"

Percy said Hades like he'd say broccoli, with little fondness.

So maybe he was a little protective of his older sister, but he knew what gods were like (even his father had left his mother, though he claimed to have really loved her).

Though he'd admit he didn't like the idea of Melinda having even a mortal boyfriend.

What if it ended badly? What if she got hurt? What if – Percy had to stop his own thoughts. That was a lot of what ifs and most of them probably would never happen.

Well, it was more likely to happen if his sister dated a god, like she had been for the last few months.

"Not yet, I plan to pay a visit to the Underworld in a day or two and tell him then," Melinda replied.

But now a whole new worry occurred to him.

Didn't this mean Hades had broken the oath as well?

**xXx**

Melinda didn't wait long after telling Percy to go to the Underworld.

First she took a portkey to LA – portkeying being safer than apparating once into your fourth month of pregnancy.

She made it as close to DOA studios as she could, and walked the rest of the way through alleys with a notice-me-not charm and the hood of her velvet red cloak up.

Being December and winter, it was rather chilly, but bulky coats and jackets had always annoyed her. So, despite it being odd if someone would see her she currently opted for an old cloak of hers.

Under the cloak she wore some jeans she'd bought recently (maternity jeans) and a black shirt (also new), along with a red cardigan over that.

"Ah, Ms. Potter, lovely to see you again," Charon said when he noticed the figure in a red cloak. "Not dead this time either I see."

Melinda had to smile slightly at this, and nodded.

"Very much alive, Charon," she said. "I'll be needing a lift across the river, if you have room."

Charon looked at her and she rolled her eyes, smiled and took out a drachma from a velvet money pouch she kept just for Greek money, opposed to the galleons, knuts and sickles of the magical currency.

She slid the coin over the counter to Charon who picked it up and nodded.

"Come along, I was just ready to take a boat over," Charon said, and glared at the restless spirits in the room that wouldn't be going over this trip. "And you lot will stay seated if you know whats good for you."

Melinda was all to happy to get to the bottom once the elevator was closed and began to descend. The spirits behind her sensed her power, power that came from the Hallows.

So they were trying to talk to her, and grasp onto her.

It might have seemed over kill, but under her red cloak she had her invisibility cloak on, in case she needed to make herself unseen quickly she could simply take off the red one and lift the hood to the one beneath.

The Elder wand was where it, nine times out of ten, rested. In the wand holster on her left arm. Her Cypress wand on the other arm. The Resurrection stone was as always, on her left hand.

Though she used them less than once a month at times, she always had them on her.

"Good luck, Melinda," Charon said once the spirits had left the boat, leaving Melinda for last to get off. "Talking to Lord Hades, that is."

Melinda raised an eyebrow.

Charon laughed.

"You come here rather often to just be visiting Cerberus, or to want to be here. And I know you are friends with my brother, but Thanatos rarely has relations with mortals. So if you're not here to see Lord Hades, than I'm a demigod."

Melinda snorted at the way Charon said it, it was obvious Charon was no demigod. But the image was amusing.

"You wont tell anyone?" she asked, wondering if he could also tell she was pregnant.

Could gods sense that sort of thing? She knew Hades didn't seem to have noticed and with how far along she was he probably should have if he could.

She supposed if it was a god or goddess that had to do with childbirth or medicine they might be able to tell.

So she doubted Charon did, unless she was wrong.

"You're alright, for a demigod," Charon said, shrugging.

"Not to mention the Mistress of Death, longest living holder of the hallows yet. I respect that. So, I wont go telling anyone, but who would I tell? Thanatos already knows, and he's the only one I really see a lot, other than you."

Melinda smiled at the ferryman and stepped from the boat, nodding once at him as he began rowing back across the river.

Turning, Melinda made her way through the crowed. It was easy once you knew your way around, and soon she was faced with Cerberus.

The three headed dog saw her, bent down like it was ready to play, and barked – all three heads. She couldn't help but notice it's tail was wagging.

Melinda laughed.

"Good boy, Cerberus," Melinda called, and reaching into her cloak, to one of the inside pockets, and she pulled out a regular rubber ball – red.

She squeezed it, and it squeaked. Holding up one finger as if to tell Cerberus to wait a moment, she threw the ball up as far as she could towards the dog and in the next second had her cypress wand in hand.

Flicking it in the air she said a quick spell, making the ball grow the size of a human head, well nearly anyways.

Cerberus barked once more in what could only be explained as happiness and one head shot for it at the same time as another.

The heads collided and the third head was the one who grabbed the ball from mid air happily.

Laughing, Melinda pulled out two more balls and repeated the process. Now the three headed dog had three red rubber balls, nearly the size of a human head, and were laying on the ground playing with them.

"You're corrupting my viscous guard dog, love," a familiar voice said from the gates behind Cerberus.

Melinda smiled as Hades walked passed the busy Cerberus, and she shook her head.

"I don't think he was ever that viscous," Melinda said. "Maybe he just likes me. I've seen him be pretty brutal with some of the skeleton guards."

Hades snorted, walking over and pulling the shorter brunette into his arms.

"That was because you told him to get the Skeleton guard," Hades said.

Melinda smirked.

"It's his favorite game now," she said almost smugly.

Hades let a small smile free and kissed Melinda in greeting, which Melinda happily returned.

"Take a walk with me?" Melinda asked after they pulled apart.

Hades raised an eyebrow but nodded, letting the younger girl interlace their hands and gently pull him along the banks of the River Styx.

"How have you been, Melinda?" Hades suddenly asked. "I'm sorry I couldn't come to you these past few weeks, but things have been busy. I couldn't get away."

Melinda nodded, her eyes trailing along the polluted water of the Styx as they walked.

"I understand, and with Persephone being home," she said, almost sadly. "We need to talk, about us...sort of."

Hades narrowed his eyes slightly at his lover, wondering what she could mean. He'd heard those words before though. Well, not them exactly but phrases which were similar.

Usually it was when a mortal woman realized nothing could truly happen between them and wanted to stop their relationship.

Which contrary to what some might believe, did happen. It wasn't always the god or goddess who left the mortal. Just most the time.

Once they were at a spot with a wide sort of sandy bank and some large black boulders, they came to a stop.

He watched as Melinda pulled her hand from his and sat on one of the boulders, farthest from the river. Even for her, the river would be deadly if she touched the waters.

"What's wrong, Melinda?" Hades asked, growing slightly concerned.

He knew their relationship couldn't last forever. He did love her, like he loved every mortal lover he'd had. Some more than others, and he felt if things had been different...

If he'd never met Persephone, he could have grown to love Melinda with a passion as bright as he loved his wife

But this was reality, and he loved Persephone.

He loved Melinda too, but he wasn't _in love_ with her. He knew the same could be said for Melinda.

He knew she loved him too, but she wasn't _in love _with him.

The closest to being in love that Melinda had ever been had been with Fred Weasley.

Her first boyfriend, who she had told him a little about and in return he told her about the only other mortal woman who he'd loved as much as he did Melinda – Maria.

The irony that their names both started with 'M' did not escape him.

"I uh, I went to the doctor two days ago," Melinda began, her nerves making it hard for her to look Hades in the eyes.

Hades eyes widened.

He knew that phrase well enough, and a bit of dread – for lack of a better term – boiled in his gut.

"I'm pregnant," she muttered so low he almost didn't hear her.

Anyone could have made a guess or prediction of how Hades would react.

But none would have thought the Lord of the Dead would stare with slightly wide eyes, paler skin (which should have been an impossible feat), and gulp.

To the observer he looked like a mortal man who'd just been told they were going to be a dad for the first time.

Though for Hades that wasn't exactly accurate, more like the too-many-times-to-count time. But he was over three thousand years old, what did one expect?

The thoughts in his mind and emotions he felt ranged between trepidation, terror, worry, happiness (and despite what their children may think the gods truly did feel joy when their mortal lovers gave them this sort of news) and more worry.

He'd broken the oath.

That thought and the irony behind it was all it took for him to begin to laugh, and for Melinda to jerk her head up to stare at him like he were crazy.

"Are you laughing at me?" she demanded, standing up and placing her hands on her hips.

Hades had been around enough pregnant women to know when to shut up.

"I'm sorry love, it's just... I can't wait to see how my brother reacts," he said with a smirk and Melinda gaped at him.

"ARE YOU CRAZY!" she yelled, and Hades flinched from the pitch.

He thought about telling her he wasn't deaf and she didn't need to scream loud enough to wake the dead, but thought better of it when he noticed the River Styx was churning more than usual.

Guess that solves the question on if children of Poseidon had any control over the rivers in the underworld. Even if it was only slight.

Melinda sighed, apparently realizing she'd yelled.

"I'm sorry, but you can't be serious," she began, her left eye twitching once in irritation. "My father is going to KILL you, and Zeus is going to KILL US!"

Hades' face turned blank at the mention of his youngest brother, and his mind wondered back to when the oath was first made, and Zeus ordering all their children under the age of sixteen killed.

Of course he'd ordered this knowing he had no children under this age, and Poseidon was lucky not to either.

Maria had lost her life soon after, and Zeus had assumed he'd killed Bianca and Nico with that same attack.

He'd be damned to Tartarus before he let history repeat itself.

"I'm sorry, you're right," Hades began, making Melinda blink in slight confusion.

Was it really her with the hormones, because one minute he was laughing over the fact she was pregnant, and the next he was as serious as someone who'd been told something dreadful.

Her mood swings, and his mood swings were beginning to give her whiplash.

"You don't have to worry, Melinda," Hades said. "No one is going to be killing anyone. Though Poseidon will surely try. Once his temper settles he'll come to his senses and we can do damage control when Olympus finds out. I wont let Zeus hurt you or the baby."

Melinda looked at him with sad understanding.

Hades had probably told her more than he'd ever told any of his mortal lovers. She'd told him more than she'd told anyone other than Fred.

One of those things he'd told her was about Maria, and how Zeus had blasted the hotel she'd been in, killing her, back when the oath had been made.

When he'd speak of her he'd become almost broken and she knew that his love for Maria had rivaled his love for Persephone.

It was a good thing Melinda wasn't a truly jealous woman by nature.

When Zeus found out he'd broken the oath, well, she imagined the danger to her well being came mostly from Zeus.

She also saw what Hades was getting at.

With Hades and Poseidon both on her side, Zeus would be unable to do much unless he wanted a war on his hands.

The council would probably be split down the middle, along with the demigods.

"Babies," she muttered, looking at him with a small smile and holding up two fingers. "It's twins."

Hades was once again shocked, more shocked than Melinda had ever seen him before.

Then his lips twitched in an almost unnoticeable smile and his eyes softened just enough that she noticed.

"I've never had twins before," he said, and Melinda laughed.

"So you're not angry," Melinda said more than asked and Hades looked at her oddly.

"Why would I be angry? So I broke the oath, my brothers have broke it long before I. The oath means little to me anymore. I am more concerned for your welfare."

Melinda smiled and grabbed his hand in hers, pulling him along with her back the way they came, happy to finally have gotten it off her chest.

Unfortunately, they didn't get far before there was a swirl of flowers and a beautiful woman, no older than Melinda herself, appeared.

"Persephone," Hades muttered and Melinda felt her heart plummet.

This couldn't be good.


	6. Poseidon's Nightmare

**AN: Sorry it took so long, It took me a while to find the right reactions for Persephone and Poseidon, eventually I was satisfied with the chapter. **

**So here it is and hopefully you all enjoy it. And like the way I decided to portray Persephone in this. It was probably the hardest to write in the whole chapter. **

**Anyways, I'll have the next chapter up as soon as I can get it written. The next chapter involves the Winter Solstice and the New Year, and getting that much closer to the next quest to save camp.  
**

* * *

**The Sea's Daughter: Sea of Monsters.**

**Chapter 6: Poseidon's Nightmare.**

Persephone was not truly expecting to find what she had when she found her husband.

She'd heard the rumors among the dead lately, but she hadn't believed any of it. The dead were known to gossip, sometimes worse than two old ladies.

Or maybe it was more that she hadn't wanted to believe it. But in front of her was the proof. Her husband was once again cheating on her, and had even brought his mistress to the underworld.

She was angry, but she was more sad and disappointed than anything.

The woman next to her husband, clutching onto his hand like it was a lifeline, was beautiful. For a mortal at least.

Persephone could at least admit to that.

Tanned skin, a petite and athletic build. One of speed and agility. Persephone would liken it to a swimmer. Tall, around 5'7, and she had long brunette curls.

Her eyes were probably her best feature; a bright emerald-sea green mix. Persephone could barely make out a lightning bolt scar on her forehead.

_Just Hades' type,_ she thought bitterly.

"Persephone," Hades repeated, seeming oddly shocked.

Persephone glared.

"I should have known. Of course you couldn't keep your oath! My father and Uncle Poseidon didn't, I should have realized you wouldn't."

Hades face went blank and darker than she'd seen it in a long while.

"Persephone, I don't know what to say," he said with only a small trace of regret.

She crossed her arms over her chest and walked closer so she could stare at her husbands mortal.

"Who is she?" she demanded. "Why did you bring her here?"

The mortal blinked and answered before Hades could.

"I'm Melinda Potter-Black, Lady Persephone. Daughter of Poseidon and legacy of Hecate," she said and Persephone couldn't help but be momentarily surprised.

She sighed, her emotions so mixed up even she wasn't sure what they were.

"My cousin?" she whispered, her tone hurt. "Why am I not surprised, my lord?"

Persephone gave her husband a bland, sad look.

"My dear wife," Hades began. "I am sorry you found out this way. I never intended to love her..."

"So you love her?" Persephone demanded, her voice raising. "You do not care for me any longer, then?"

Hades' eyes flashed dangerously.

"Do no stand there and accuse me of no longer loving you! I have loved all my mortal lovers, some more than others. But none like you, otherwise I would no put up with your mother. Or your childish antics at times."

Persephone eyes softened, if only a little, and she turned back to the observing mortal, or more accurately, demigod.

"I apologize for my temper," Persephone muttered. "Melinda Potter, I've heard of you. The new Mistress of Death, and Hecate talks quite fondly of you."

It may seen out of character for her to change her tone so quickly, but she knew her lord and husband was right.

And at least this one was a demigod. That was better and more understandable, at least to her, than a mere mortal. She never could understand what her husband or other married gods saw in normal mortal women.

Maybe that was harsh. But she had to place the blame somewhere other than herself or her husband (who still got quite a bit of a cold shoulder from her in the past, and that probably would change anytime soon).

But she digressed.

The point of the matter was; She wasn't Hera (gods forbid). She didn't go around trying to kill her husbands lovers or demigod children in the past.

She wasn't Amphitrite either, who Persephone knew had a burning dislike for heroes and her husbands bastard children.

True, she didn't usually get along with her husbands children, but commonly they were little pricks – like Adolf Hitler for example.

Then there was the fact they were burning reminders that she'd very rarely been able to bare her husband a child. She was a goddess of spring, which was a season of life and renewal.

The underworld zapped her so badly her bodies natural fertility was lowered.

Melinoe and Macaria were the only two she'd had in thousands of years.

Melinoe being the goddess of ghost, and Persephone regretfully hadn't treated her first daughter very well.

But then, Hades had been little better, and Melinoe stayed in her own cave-like abode, and was rather bitter towards them.

Macaria was the goddess of blessed death, a more merciful counterpart to Thanatos, and his consort for many years before she faded.

Many gods had faded over the years, mostly minor gods, though the disappearance of Pan had caused a great stir as well.

But once again, she digressed.

She wasn't exactly fond of mortals so she never really tried to have demigod children before. Well, not in many centuries at least.

She didn't have but six months on the surface each year and her mother commandeered that time. Men were also so different in this modern day and age.

Finally there was the fact she had always been close to her uncle Poseidon.

He was one of the few who understood and realized she had truly come to love Hades. Though she didn't think her mother ever would accept her and Hades' union.

Hecate, on the other hand had been her only friend in the beginning of her entrapment in the underworld when she was still a young goddess.

It did hurt a little knowing a legacy of her best friend had been sleeping with her husband, but she couldn't be upset with Hecate for that.

Melinda had been shocked stiff by the turn of events.

The woman in front of her was very beautiful, but she felt sure the goddess of springtime would be even more radiant during the months she was with her mother.

She understood that, being in the underworld to long had a similar effect on her. Making her almost as pale as Persephone currently.

Though, Persephone was by far paler than Melinda had ever gotten by only staying a few hours in the underworld.

Her hair was as black as a raven's wings, though Melinda felt the long locks might be fuller and silkier during the summer. She was an inch or two taller than her 5'7 and had multicolored eyes.

Like the colors of summer and spring were reflected in them, but currently they were dark and sad, disappointed.

It made Melinda feel regretful. Though she would never regret the love she had for Hades, or their time together as short lived as it would be (though almost six months was quite a while).

She regretted hurting Persephone, that had never been her intention.

She had listened, feeling like a home wrecker as Hades and Persephone argued. Anyone else, Melinda realized, would have felt angered or heartbroken by Hades declaration of deep seeded love for his wife.

But she wasn't anyone else and this wasn't one of those everyday mortal affairs. And Melinda had already known this all. She knew going into the relationship Hades truly loved his wife.

She had been startled by the fact Persephone had calmed down after Hades' words and had apologized to her out of nowhere.

She had expected the goddess to vaporize her.

"I am, Lady Persephone," she replied, a little taken aback that Hecate had talked about her to others. "I didn't realize grams gossiped."

She didn't know what else to say, this was probably the most awkward moment of her eighteen years.

Persephone snorted.

"Hecate and I are old friends."

Hades watched the two interact with caution, looking between them like they were ticking time bombs. And one was bound to go off.

_This just was not normal_, Hades thought.

Sure, Persephone had never met any of his other lovers but even if she had he doubted she'd like them. Styx, she still got angry and annoyed if Maria was brought up.

But then, he had attempted to bring Maria to the underworld to live and raise their children after the oath was made.

Come to think of it, Persephone had only truly begun to openly dislike Maria after that.

Sometimes his darling wife had him second guessing himself. This was still rather disturbing though, he'd been waiting for her to throw a Hera sized temper-tantrum.

"When are you due?"

_BOOM! _- There it was, the shot that rocked Hades from his thoughts and nearly through him into oblivion.

It seemed Melinda was just as thrown as he was. Her hands going – almost protectively – to her still rather flat stomach.

But if you were a god or goddess and looked closely you could see just the beginning of evidence that she was expecting.

A small bump which had become more apparent to the mortal eye since her doctor appointment.

"May, or early June. The doctors said I was seventeen weeks," Melinda finally replied.

That was surprising. Hades was sure if it had been that long her stomach should be bigger, but he knew some women didn't gain a lot of weight during pregnancy.

_Though her breast seemed to have grown some,_ he thought shamelessly.

"How did you know?"

"I'm the goddess of spring, which is about life, rebirth and renewal. I may not be able to tell details like a goddess of childbirth could, but I can sense life that's not your own," Persephone said, frowning a little.

"This is awkward," Melinda muttered after a few seconds of silence.

Persephone actually laughed shortly.

"So it is."

"Persephone, I want to apologize as well," Melinda began after a hesitant second. "I didn't mean for what happened between me and Hades. I can't bring myself to regret our time together though or the love we shared..."

Hades wasn't surprised by his lovers words but worried how Persephone would react. He took a silent step closer and looked between the two women.

"You love him?" Persephone interrupted.

Melinda blinked and then seemed to understand.

"It's complicated. I do love Hades, but I'm not in love with him. And I know he feels the same," Melinda began and after a second continued.

"Our relationship began on attractions, lust and loneliness. It grew until it was what it is today, but we both knew it couldn't be more than temporary."

Persephone pursed her lips and nodded.

"I see," she muttered and then looked at her.

"You should go, cousin," she finally said. "I need to talk to my husband, and I believe you have others to tell."

Melinda nodded, happy to be leaving alive at all.

"Of course, Lady Persephone," she said, bowing slightly in respect.

She gave Hades a small smile as she passed and Hades sighed once she'd disappeared from sight.

"Thank you, my love, for not overreacting," he said.

Persephone snorted.

"Don't thank me, I think I might actually like her. Doesn't mean you're not sleeping on the couch or floor for the next six months."

With that she left in a swirl of flowers, back to the castle. Leaving Hades rather stunned.

**xXx**

Melinda counted herself blessed that Persephone was nothing like Amphitrite or Hera.

Though Melinda didn't expect her cousin to invite her for tea anytime soon. Or that she'd be that happy if the twins were ever in the underworld often.

She at least knew Persephone wasn't going to attempt to poison her or the twins in the future.

Once she was out of DOA Studios it was already mid day. She wasn't surprised, time ran differently in the gods domains. Well, the underworld and on Olympus at least, though the former more so than the latter.

She didn't go far to make a portkey and return home. She was too tired to go to the beach in order to contact her father – who she didn't think she could handle telling in the same day as Hades anyways.

Instead she headed straight to bed trying to forget the fact she would have to tell her father sooner than later.

As the days passed the only thing Melinda truly felt relieved about was she seemed to have skipped the morning sickness phase of pregnancy.

At least, other than that Thanksgiving night when she'd discovered she was pregnant.

She hadn't skipped everything else though. And though she didn't puke, she did get rather nauseous at times. Especially around certain smells and foods.

Hades came to her apartment the Thursday after she'd told him the news. She'd gotten off work, came in and found him waiting on her to arrive.

"Styx, Hades we need to talk about this habit of yours," she said, tossing her bag on the table and going over to flop onto the couch in exhaustion.

"How are you today?" he asked, and she could see the concern in his black eyes.

Melinda smiled.

"I'm fine, Hades. Just tired."

Hades nodded.

"I don't want to stress you, but I assume you haven't told Poseidon yet?"

Melinda sighed.

"I've meant to, but I've had to work and I just haven't found the time."

"I'm not exactly complaining," Hades said. "I understand, but you'll need to before you get to far along. We'll need him on our side once it comes out you're pregnant."

Melinda knew he was right.

The longer she stalled the more stress it put on her. And the longer she waited the more upset her father was bound to be. Not to mention they did need him to know before Zeus or the other Olympians.

"I know, and I'll call into work tomorrow. Let them know I wont be in and get in contact with him. I would go to his palace, but I don't exactly know my way there," she said.

"I'm sure I'll here about it," Hades said, smirking slightly.

Melinda laughed, knowing exactly what he meant.

The next morning she did exactly as she told Hades, she called into work.

"You're glowing dear."

Melinda jumped slightly at the sudden voice as she pulled her coat on over a purple top. She wore a simple pair of black pants, and even over a week she seemed to have gained a few pounds.

Hecate stood about a foot away from her, leaning against the couch. She was grinning and looked highly amused.

"Glowing?" she questioned. "You're joking."

Hecate chuckled.

"No, but that's not important. I came to congratulate you. My first great-great grandchildren in a long time, though I'll admit I was a little surprised by who the father is."

Melinda couldn't say she was surprised. Her grams had always been a bit odd, and always seemed to know things before she should.

"Also, I came to tell you that I set up a meeting for you and your father."

Melinda raised an eyebrow and Hecate smiled.

"I may have gotten some of what you talked about from Hades, and Persephone told me about your pregnancy," Hecate told her.

"Anyways," Hecate continued. "He'll meet you on the beach. Good luck, darling. You'll need it."

Melinda sighed as the goddess disappeared.

"Thanks grams, wonderful talking to you."

She didn't waste time, Melinda arrived at the beach in under five minutes. Being December it wasn't as crowded. It was easy to spot her father.

"Dad," she greeted and gave the taller man a brief hug.

"Mel," Poseidon returned, and grinned. "How are you? I heard you were working at Percy's school."

Melinda nodded.

"I am, it's a good job. Gives me something to do."

Poseidon nodded.

Melinda walked along the beach with her father, falling into a comfortable conversation.

Soon though she didn't have a choice but to bring up the reason for the whole meeting. Especially when he brought up her mysterious boyfriend.

"Uh, dad... speaking of that I have something I need to tell you," she began.

Poseidon looked at his daughter in concern. He had wondered why Hecate seemed to be so insistent he meet Melinda on the beach. Hecate had made it sound like more than a social call.

"Hecate made it seem important," he said. "What is it?"

Whatever it was he'd been thinking he never dreamed she'd say what she did.

"I'm just gonna say it – I'm pregnant," she blurted out.

Poseidon froze the moment the last syllable had left her mouth. His throat dry and seeming to close in on itself.

His eyes didn't so much as blink, and so many emotions flew through him he wasn't sure what exactly each one was. Much less when one began and where another ended.

"I'm sorry?" he asked and she sighed.

"I'm pregnant."

This was his worse nightmare come true.

His baby girl, his only daughter, pregnant. How could it get worse?

"How... no, no... who?" he asked.

His thoughts on hunting the bastard down and vaporizing him for touching his little girl.

As his thoughts processed everything he nearly whimpered. He'd went years believing Melinda was as innocent as Artemis or Hestia and here she was... pregnant.

"Well this is where it gets complicated..."

Oh no, he thought. That was never a good way to start a sentence.

"You know I've been seeing someone for the last few months," Melinda said, and he nodded, sort of numbly.

"Well... how do I say this... you know him."

Melinda was nodding as she finished this sentence and Poseidon felt as if he'd been slapped. If he knew her boyfriend that meant... it had to be a god.

A growl rumbled in his chest at the thought. A mortal was one thing, but a god... that was another.

"A god?" he asked and Melinda nodded.

"Yes, now before you overreact and I tell you who it is, I need you to swear on the River Styx not to kill him," she said and Poseidon blinked at his daughter.

"I'm not swearing to that."

Melinda pouted slightly.

"Swear," she said.

"No."

"Dad, swear, please?" Melinda asked again, adding a bit of puppy eyes to see if that could sway him.

He narrowed his eyes, and shook his head.

"No."

"Fine, then I'm not telling."

Poseidon frowned deeply.

"Just tell me, Melinda," he said. "I won't kill him... seriously maim, but not kill. Can't kill a _god _anyways."

Poseidon said this bitterly and Melinda chuckled.

"I think you might just find a way," Melinda said, "You seem upset."

Poseidon grunted.

"Someone knocked up my baby girl, of course I'm upset! Once I've beaten the hades out of the culprit..." he trailed off.

"Was it Hermes?" he asked, startling Melinda with his sudden change in topic.

"No," she said

"Triton?" he pondered, and she blushed even deeper and shook her head.

"No, not Triton," she said.

Poseidon narrowed his eyes.

"It was Apollo wasn't it, that ball of gas never could keep his hands to himself," Poseidon fumed. "It was, wasn't it?"

Melinda blushed.

"No, dad I've never even met Apollo or Hermes."

Poseidon's eyes lit up.

"So, it was a god you've met," he mused in victory and Melinda grimaced.

"Was it Dionysus? Did he give you any wine?" Poseidon asked, very seriously and Melinda was sure she was the shade of a very, very ripe tomato.

"No, dad please stop guessing."

"Ares?"

"No," Melinda said, sighing and rubbing her temples.

"Zeus? Was it Zeus..."

"DAD!" Melinda exclaimed, interrupting whatever else he was going to say.

Poseidon sighed and then he stopped, seemed to be in deep thought and his eyes flashed so dangerously they almost seemed to be black for a moment.

"HADES!" he roared, and Melinda paled.

"Uh, daddy, now remember to be calm..." she began but it was too late.

With a mix of ocean water and sea breeze the god of the sea had left for the closest entrance to the underworld. Or so she could assume.

"Well, that went well," she muttered, and picked up a seashell in order to create a portkey.

She had a feeling Hades might need her help. Permission or no permission, she was pretty sure her dad was going to get into the underworld, one way or another.

**xXx**

When Melinda arrived at Hades' castle she found the strangest sight in her life.

Persephone sat on her throne, laughing herself to tears.

Her father was wrestling with Hades, and seemed to be winning as he currently beat the ichor out of his older brother.

"HOW DARE YOU DEFLOWER MY DAUGHTER!"

Melinda blushed, and she heard Persephone snort as she tried to stop laughing.

"Dad!" she called. "Oh for grandmother Rhea's sake, I wasn't even a virgin!"

Poseidon's head snapped up, mid punch and he blinked.

"Huh?" he asked and Melinda rolled her eyes.

"Oh, uncle, she's eighteen years old... you didn't think she was a virgin did you?" Persephone inquired between her laughing.

Hades was looking at Melinda.

She could tell from the golden ichor her father had been beating the Tartarus out of him for a few minutes before she'd arrived. His face was nearly gold from all the ichor.

"Yes," Poseidon said, blinking and Melinda sighed.

"Dad, I've had a boyfriend before Hades you know," she said and Poseidon narrowed his eyes.

"Well..."

Whatever her father was going to say was interrupted by Hades who was glaring up at his brother.

"Can someone get this crazy man off me!" he exclaimed and Persephone giggled insanely behind her hand.

Melinda walked over and began to pull her father off Hades.

"Dad, please just calm down."

"He took advantage of you," Poseidon growled, glaring at Hades who was getting up, wiping ichor from his face as he did.

"If anyone took advantage of anyone, it was her. She's a wil – "

Hades had a smirk on his face as he began this and one glare from Melinda and kick to the shins was enough to cut his sentence short.

"Are you trying to make him angry?" she demanded and he shrugged, and she turned to her father.

"Daddy, Hades did not take advantage of me. I can make decisions on my own you know, and though we didn't think this would happen – though we probably should have – it has and so we have to live with it," she began.

"I don't regret it either, actually I'm excited. I had hoped you would be too."

Poseidon gulped, and looked from his daughter to Hades before sighing.

Maybe he had overreacted a little. As he calmed down, and took everything his daughter said in he began to smile slightly.

It had been a long time since any of his mortal children had children. Most had died young, before having any.

Though he was concerned about the fact Hades had broken the oath, and though that didn't really matter to him, as he'd broken it twice, he knew Zeus would throw a tantrum.

"I guess I overreacted," Poseidon said, smiling at his daughter. "So a baby, it's been a long time since I had a grandchild."

Melinda smiled.

"Grandchildren, it's twins," she said and his eyes widened.

She chuckled, along with Persephone who still sat on her throne recovering from her laughing fit earlier, as he turned to glare at Hades for a moment.

Hades had healed, the only evidence he'd been beaten bloody were a few faint bruises. She forgot that gods healed so quickly, and with ambrosia or nectar would heal even quicker.

"What, if anything you should apologize for going crazy on me, brother," Hades snapped and Poseidon snorted.

"Like that's going to happen," he said. "You deserved it."

Hades grumbled and Melinda bit her tongue in order to not laugh, Persephone didn't have that restraint and began chuckling.

Apparently her cousin was more upset with Hades than she'd first seemed, considering she'd offered no help and actually seemed to agree with Poseidon.

"Fine, but we do need to discuss what we'll do once Olympus knows, more so Zeus," Hades began.

Poseidon frowned deeply and nodded.

"Yes, he wont be happy you broke the oath. Despite having broken it twice himself."

"Twice?" Melinda asked and the two gods looked at her and shook their heads.

"Yes, but that's not important," Poseidon said. "I think we should tell everyone ourselves on the Winter Solstice. In order to control the situation."

Hades frowned but nodded.

"What about me?" Melinda asked. "Should I be there as well?"

"No!" both brothers said in unison.

She blinked.

"What?" she asked. "Why not?"

"We don't want you in such short distance of his electric teddy bear, daughter," Poseidon said. "It is safer for you not to be present for when we tell everyone."

Melinda sighed.

"Should I start staying in during thunderstorms as well?" she asked, slightly sarcastic, and almost bitterly.

"Once we've made it clear that hurting you would not be in his best interest," Hades began. "You should have nothing to worry about as long as you stay out of the sky."

Melinda sighed and nodded.

"Alright," she said. "You'll let me know what happened after wont you?"

Poseidon and Hades nodded.

Then Poseidon cleared his throat.

"Now, I think I should go and I'll walk Melinda home," he said and Hades rolled his eyes.

"Or I could..."

Persephone glared at her husbands back, and Poseidon glared at him directly.

"Don't push it, I could still throw you into Tartarus with father," he snapped and Melinda sighed.

Despite the drama that telling the most important people had endured, she was happy it was over. At least until she had no choice but to tell those from England and Camp.

She would also have to set things up for the twins at Gringotts before or after they were born.

Considering one would be the Potter heir and the other the Black. She could only hope they inherited wand magic, though even if they did not she'd still make them the heirs. She doubted she'd have anymore children.

As they left the underworld and her father helped her home by the same method he'd used to leave the beach, she was relieved to realize the worse was over.

Or at least the worse would be over come the Winter Solstice.


	7. Christmas In Manhattan

**AN: So first of all I want to apologize for the long, long wait. **

**I've had a lot going on and some accursed writers block thrown in. Unfortunately this doesn't mark my return to regular updates, I apologize for that. **

**I have some things going on right now that stop me from updating like I used to. I don't know when I'll get the chance to update again. Right now this and Reborn of Fire are the only stories I have chapters ready for.  
**

**Again I am sorry for the wait, but I hope you enjoy this chapter. **

* * *

**The Sea's Daughter: Sea of Monsters.**

**Chapter 7: Christmas in Manhattan. **

It seemed to Melinda that time was crawling by.

She was starting to get paranoid, or maybe that wasn't the right word. Sometimes even she forgot she had ADHD, and the fact she hadn't seen a monster since the pit scorpion had bitten Percy.

This of course was not counting Tyson, sense the cyclops was just too kind and adorable to be a demigod killing monster. She felt as if any moment something was going to go wrong.

Another part of her itched for a monster to attack, just to make things interesting and because part of her missed the rush.

The saner part of her mind knew that was a death wish in her current situation.

She knew in the future she would be more careful when in a sexual relationship, but she didn't regret anything either. She was happy to become a mother, even if it wouldn't be easy.

She knew she could die at anytime being a demigod. This was probably the best time for it, currently things seemed quiet.

The calm before the storm.

She'd learned a long time ago that when things were quiet it only meant something was brewing. Back then she'd had Voldemort after her blood, now it seemed to be the Titan King's slow rise with the help of... Luke.

Sitting on the wide windowsill – she had enlarged it to comfortably sit one person with magic – she sighed at the thought of her once friend.

Her sea colored eyes looked over the city as snow fell in thick flakes. She'd always loved the snow, well, the looking at it part anyways.

She'd never been very fond of how cold it was, and being a child of Poseidon anything water related was never as cold to her as it was to another demigod or mortal.

She figured it had something to do with her relation to Hecate. Or the fact the Dursley's would throw her out in cold weather or thunderstorms as punishment when she was little.

"You're going to get stress lines if you keep worrying so much, Lin."

Melinda turned on the windowsill and smiled at the dark god before her. Over the time that passed Hades would randomly come to see her, despite both knowing their relationship was at its end.

It had been about a week after her father beat the ichor out of him that she and Hades talked about their time together.

In the end they had decided to end it, and had broken up on mutual terms. But their friendship had deepened, which to some might seem strange.

Melinda had seen many friends go into relationships and end on messy terms. Or people go into relationships and the relationship would end with both going their separate ways.

Friendship didn't usually exist after an intimate relationship ended, but Melinda wasn't one to play by the rules.

"I wondered if you or dad would stop by before the Solstice," Melinda sat, placing her feet back on the floor and standing.

Since her doctor appointment in the beginning of December Melinda had taken Dr. Ellis' advice and began eating as much as she could at meals.

Of course, she didn't over eat and everything was healthy, but just making sure she ate three times a day had helped. She also felt it might be the fact she was simply a late bloomer, she'd always been like that no matter what it was.

She'd been a bit of a midget before she was thirteen or fourteen, and hadn't really developed in other areas before the summer before her sixth year.

She'd also always had a high metabolism, but then it might have also had something to do with Quidditch and training which kept her in shape. But despite this all, she seemed to have blown up over night.

She looked like a woman should going into their fifth month of pregnancy, her stomach no longer flat, though she was kind of concerned if it was an acceptable weight for someone carrying twins.

She'd never actually been around a pregnant woman, besides Tonks, before. And she'd only been around Tonks before she'd even gained any baby weight.

The point was she'd gained enough weight that she'd had to go shopping for some new clothes, both regular and maternity.

She was grateful she had Sally to help, and even Percy seemed to have gone from concerned and sort of strange around her to being excited.

Hades smiled, one of the few wide smiles that weren't just a smirk-smile configuration, and approached his now ex-lover.

He would miss the relationship they'd shared, the more intimate side of it, but they were still close friends and he would be there when he could be. Of course, none of this made Persephone more forgiving of him.

Some days were better than others but Persephone was still firm on him not being welcome in their bed. And she refused to let him touch her intimately and he figured she probably would continue to do this until after Melinda had the twins.

It was better than some of her past reactions.

"Yes, Poseidon would have come but he is currently busy with some problems the fish are having." Hades rolled his eyes at his own words.

Melinda chuckled and walked over to thread her arm through the crook of Hades' elbow and led him to the table.

"Sit, I'll go finish dinner and make some tea," she said, before turning to head for the kitchen. "How long will you be staying?"

Hades frowned slightly.

"Not long I'm afraid. An hour, maybe a little longer," he said. "I mostly came to tell you how we were going to go about this."

Melinda bit the inside of her cheek at his words, and she took the tea kettle off the stove along with the pasta she'd been boiling.

"The plan?" she inquired.

"Your father and I will address the council near the end. We've determined that the most problem will come from Zeus and Athena. Those two have always been rather... alike in ways they think. Athena may be easier to placate than Zeus. We want you to stay with Sally and Percy tomorrow night and about a week after the solstice. In case of monsters being led in your direction."

Melinda sighed as she poured some red pasta sauce over the noodles she'd placed on the two plates. She knew this wouldn't be easy, and she would admit to being nervous. She knew how Zeus had reacted to her being around, and past the age of sixteen.

But she'd used cunning and logic to get out of that, it was obvious to her she couldn't be the child of prophecy. Prophecies had riddles, and sometimes could mean many different things but stating an age. That was usually pretty clear.

Hopefully the fact war was coming now, and that her children wouldn't be sixteen for sixteen years would save them in the end. That didn't mean Zeus would like it though.

Placing a plate in front of Hades, where he sat at the head of the table. She then placed hers in the table spot to his left and left to retrieve the glasses.

"I understand, I hope it goes well," she said, and picked up the now filled glasses and returned to the table.

Hades nodded, and though he hid it well, Melinda was rather good at reading people and could see the worry in his onyx eyes.

**xXx**

Poseidon and Hades were nervous as they listened to Zeus prattle on about what they were to do.

With the revelations of the quest to find the master bolt, and then Luke, son of Hermes attempted murder of the children of Poseidon... well he had no choice but to acknowledge war was coming.

A war that was possibly being waged between gods and titan once more. Or more like, demigods against a army headed by the titans until they could actually do something to help their children.

Many were in denial that Kronos could be raising, despite evidence, none more than Zeus.

Currently they were at a impasse because of this fact. Half the council wanted to take some sort of action, plan before Kronos could out plan them.

Others favored the wait and see approach, believing it to simply to be some wayward god or goddess, or one of the free titans causing a war using Luke as their weapon.

The fact several demigods had disappeared over the summer was not lost on most, but to others. Well, many who had missing children were in denial. Apollo, Hermes, Aphrodite... just to name those they were aware of. Some hadn't even been claimed yet.

Which seemed to make some more prone to thinking them traitors, having joined the Titans.

"Father, I have to agree with Athena," Artemis said from her spot. "While we don't know for sure about anything, it is clear war is approaching. I also have to agree with Uncle Hades... it could very well be Kro-"

"Enough," Zeus ordered, cutting one of his favored daughters off. "We have voted on this matter, daughter, and it is a tie. For now we shall wait, we don't know if Luke Castellan is truly working for another or if this is some sort of rebellion. We shall continue to search for the son of Hermes in the meantime."

Many of the gods and goddesses who didn't agree with this action held back groans, while others nodded or were simply quiet on the matter.

"If that is all," Hera began, looking at her husband and then to everyone else.

Poseidon and Hades shared a look and then Poseidon sighed.

"There is one more matter," the sea god said.

This gained everyone attention.

"What's that?" Zeus asked.

"It's about my daughter, Melinda," he began. "She's been seeing someone for few months now, or was anyway."

Zeus raised an eyebrow and looked at his brother in slight annoyance. Others were simply confused, while others, such as Athena were thinking over what he'd said like it were a life or death situation.

Aphrodite on the other hand was giggling behind her hand, as if she knew something they didn't. Looking at her, Hades realized she probably did.

She usually knew every form of love there was between a person, it was her domain and she'd probably sensed it from Melinda. If she knew exactly who it was directed at was another thing all together.

"What exactly does that matter, brother? Unless you're going to tell me she knows were Luke Castellan is because this someone is the traitor in question..."

Poseidon glared at his brothers suggestion, still angry at the son of Hermes for running a sword through his daughter, nearly killing her. Hades didn't look much happier.

"No," he said. "It has nothing to do with the war... exactly. Melinda was seeing a god, she told me a while ago after she found out that she was pregnant."

Everyone blinked, and many were looking at the male gods in suspicion, many of those gazes were, ironically on Zeus. Seeing as he was the only one, besides Poseidon, Thanatos and Triton who had met Melinda Potter.

"What?" Zeus asked, and then glared at those who looked at him as if he were the god in question.

"Zeus," Hera snapped. "I swear, if you have been going behind my back again..."

Zeus gaped at her and then growled under his breath.

"It wasn't him," Poseidon said, rolling his eyes. "Thank the gods for that, I really would have gone through with my threat and thrown him into Tartarus with father otherwise."

Many of the gods who heard that last part, and how protective he sounded during it shivered. While Hades flinched slightly.

"Then who? I take it there is a reason you've told us this?" Demeter asked, and Athena looked between Poseidon and Hades before gasping.

"Oh no," Athena muttered. "Please tell me it's not..."

she trailed off at Poseidon and Hades' glares.

Finally Hades sighed.

"As you know I met Melinda during the quest for the Master Bolt," Hades began, drawing sharp looks from everyone as realization began to dawn on them. "Being the Mistress of Death, Lin can come and go as she pleases as long as she doesn't eat the food..."

"Oh, not again!" Demeter cried, throwing her hands up. "What is wrong with you, can you not leave your poor, impressionable, innocent -" Hades snorted, and Poseidon nearly whimpered. " – nieces alone!"

Zeus was glaring, his left eyes twitching while a vein seemed to throb on his temple. His eyes seemed to nearly shoot lightning.

"HADES, YOU BROKE THE OATH!" he roared, and many flinched back.

Hades rolled his onyx eyes.

"Look who is talking, brother," Hades sneered. "You've broken it too, twice might I add. I had no intention of breaking the oath when I started seeing Melinda. The oath was not to sire kids, not to stop seeing mortals completely. We just... got caught up and things happened."

He sighed.

"You know, he's right pops," Apollo said. "You did break the oath first, along with Poseidon. It would be kind of hypocritical to punish Hades or Melinda Potter for this."

"That is beside the point. Another child born with the possibility to doom us all, it can not be allowed," Zeus fumed, holding his master bolt in a tight grip, and looking as if he was ready to find a target for it.

From his statement they were all sure the target wouldn't be one of them, but the daughter of Poseidon herself.

"Zeus, if you dare harm one hair on my daughters head... The coming war between the Titans and Olympus will be the least of your worries," Poseidon stormed, his eyes narrowed and nearly glowing with power.

Hades was in much the same position.

"Indeed, the wrath of the Underworld and Atlantis, against Olympus. I will not allow you to hurt another one of my former lovers," Hades nearly snarled at his brother.

His words were a sharp reminder to his brother that he still held a grudge about what he'd down to Maria all those years ago.

Zeus twitched again, but with less anger and annoyance, as if thinking of how unpleasant that would be.

"I would gladly help," Aphrodite chirped, smiling. "I personally, find Melinda Potter's future much too rich to allow her to die over something so minor. And just think of the love life her child will have!"

"I can't believe this," Hera muttered, rather surprised her oldest brother had actually broken the oath.

Demeter grumbled, arms crossed. Muttering under her breath about 'daughter thieving brothers'.

"This is a big deal!" Athena cried. "Another child that could be the one of prophecy..."

"Oh please, bird brain," Poseidon said, rolling his eyes shortly. "My son is the only possibility, unless you think the war is going to last the next sixteen years until Melinda's twins are sixteen?"

"Twins?" Artemis inquired, and Apollo looked interested as well.

Hades smiled only slightly, but it was gone as soon as anyone noticed.

"Yes, she is expecting twins," he said.

Zeus gritted his teeth.

"All the more reason to kill the girl now before..." Athena began, and Ares couldn't help but agree.

"This is ridiculous," Artemis began, shaking her head as she cut Athena off. "Why condemn this woman, maiden or not, and her unborn children to such a fate when we've done nothing to the boy? Perseus Jackson is most likely to be child of prophecy, and will be sixteen in a few short years. Yet we have done nothing to kill him. If we judge now, and to children who can't even talk, much less live on their own, then we are no better then the Titans."

Zeus looked at his daughter in slight surprise, and many nodded in agreement to her.

Apollo, Hermes (feeling he owed a great debt to the daughter of Poseidon after what his son had put her through, and the fact he agreed that Melinda and her children shouldn't be killed), Aphrodite, Hephaestus, and even Hera, though hesitantly in the Queens case.

"Thank you, Artemis," Hades said, nodding to his niece. "Like she said. My children wont be sixteen for over sixteen years, the war is coming _now_. We can all feel it. The prophecy can not possibly mean them."

"I... I suppose that is logical," Athena admitted, and Zeus sighed.

He could feel a headache coming on already.

"Then we vote. All for the death of Melinda and her children?" he asked, and didn't bother raising his hand but counting his own as one.

Only Dionysus, Ares and Athena raised their hands, the first two because they just didn't care but had to vote one way or another. Athena because she felt it unsafe to take the chance, especially since there was no telling how long this new war could last.

"All in favor for them living?" he asked, and it was pretty obvious what the outcome would be.

Hades, Poseidon, Artemis, Apollo, Hermes, Hephaestus, Demeter, and even Hera raised their hands.

"So be it, Melinda Potter-Black and her children shall live," Zeus said and then glared at his brother slightly. "Do not think to break the oath a second time, Hades."

Hades glared back, and nodded.

"I had no intention," he muttered, and both he and Poseidon felt relieved at the outcome.

For now Melinda and her children were safe, at least from the Olympians.

**xXx**

"Merry Christmas, Mel," Percy said as he sat on the couch.

There was a tall Christmas tree standing bright in a corner of the Jackson apartment.

Sally was currently in the kitchen, making hot chocolate, and the TV was turned on a channel which showed Christmas themed cartoons, but the volume was turned down on low.

Melinda stood there with a smile on her face, having few Christmases which had turned out well. Her hair was loose down her back and in loose curls. She wore a white sleeveless sweater under a blue Chinese style silk and satin jacket.

A pair of flare jeans, all of which were maternity, except her jacket which was slightly enlarged with magic. Around her neck was her pearl necklace and a longer chained diamond snowflake necklace.

"Merry Christmas," she replied in return and came to sit down beside her brother on the couch, one hand resting on her stomach.

Percy blinked, concern in his eyes.

"You alright, sis?" he asked.

She laughed.

"Fine, my stomachs just a little upset is all," she told him, smiling.

"Oh," he said and seconds latter Sally returned with a tray with three mugs of hot chocolate with whip cream and chocolate shaving on top.

Melinda smiled and accepted hers, knowing it was best to drink hers much slower in case it didn't agree with her. She couldn't see it not in the long run.

She'd been eating so much chocolate lately she was beginning to fear her babies were going to be chocolate addicts when older.

"Now," Sally said once they were all situated. "Why don't we open presents? I think – "

Sally was interrupted by a sudden flash, which caused them all to close their eyes one impulse. When it faded and their eyes opened they saw two familiar gods in the living room.

Sally nearly gasped at the sight of her former lover, Poseidon, who stood there grinning. A grin that was so much like Percy's, and seeing him once more she realized just how much like his father Percy looked.

Beside him was a handsome man, in black and red, his hair about shoulder length and as black as Poseidon's. His eyes were a guarded onyx, and his skin fair. It didn't take her long to know this was Hades.

He also had a softer look when he saw Melinda she noticed but it was something only one who knew him or someone who was very observant would notice.

"Dad!" Percy exclaimed, shooting up in shock.

Poseidon grinned, happy to see his son. He didn't want to admit favorites, but he was aware every god had them. Percy and Melinda were his favorite son and daughter, though that didn't mean he didn't love his other children.

His mortal children just had a special place in his heart seeing as he only got so long with them before fate caught up to them. It was a mortals fate to die one day, sadly demigods usually had short lives.

"Percy," he said. "I'm glad to see you, son."

"Is everything alright, did the council go well?" Melinda asked, standing up.

Though it was well hidden they could all see the traces of fear in her green eyes. It worried Percy and Sally, especially Percy who wasn't used to seeing that emotion in his older sisters eyes.

He knew she felt it, she'd told him once that a person without fear was either dead or a fool that wouldn't last long in life.

But it still wasn't something he saw everyday from his sister.

Hades actually smiled lightly, shocking Percy more so than Sally.

"I wanted to come sooner, but we couldn't get away before today. The council had a vote, after much argument. You and the twins will be safe, at least from the gods," Hades said and Melinda's shoulders sagged in relief, her eyes brightening up in happiness.

Looking back up she grinned and walked over to hug Hades and then her father – though she hugged Hades a little longer, which didn't go unnoticed by Sally and Poseidon.

"Thank you," she said, smiling once she pulled away from her father.

Both gods nodded.

"Poseidon, Lord Hades, would you like to stay? We were about to open presents and then we were going to have dinner," Sally said, and both gods shook their heads after a moment.

"I'm sorry, Sally, but we can't. Zeus is in a bit of a mood and we can't stray from our duties long at the moment. Not with the approaching storm," Poseidon said, smiling slightly.

All of them knew the storm he meant wasn't a literal storm but the threat approaching by Luke and Kronos.

"Alright," Sally said, a bit sadly.

Percy was also a bit sad his father couldn't stay, not being able to see him often and wouldn't have minded much if his uncle stayed as well.

He'd seen him almost more often then he'd seen his father, considering that time he'd walked in on his sister and Hades – he suppressed a shudder at the thought.

But he also understood his father was busy.

It wasn't long before the two gods left, one leaving a smell of the ocean behind, the other leaving in shadows. Sitting back down, the two children of Poseidon sighed and Sally smiled at them.

She'd known Melinda for a while now, and it still took her by surprise sometimes how alike her son and Melinda were. There was no doubt they shared the same father.

She was also happy her son had someone like Melinda, she knew there was none who would keep her son safer, especially seeing as Poseidon was held back by the gods laws. She also knew her son would do the same for Melinda if he had too.

"So, about those presents," she began and walked over to the tree.

The next hour was spent opening gifts, talking and laughing. Percy received gifts from a few campers he'd made friends with at camp, Annabeth being one, and Silena Beauregard along with Beckendorf. The latter were older campers who'd helped Percy in his first few days there, and didn't treat him differently after he was claimed.

Sally even had gifts from Melinda and Percy – Melinda having helped Percy choose something for his mother.

Melinda herself had gifts from Sally, Percy and from friends in England – some which were joint gifts. Even Annabeth, Sam and Lou Ellen had sent her something.

Sally and Percy gave her two stuffed dogs, both black but one had white tipped ears. Both reminded her of Sirius, which nearly brought tears to her eyes.

She cursed her hormones. Percy had picked them out for the twins when they were born, remembering the stories of Padfoot.

From Sally she got a book of Grimm's Fairy-Tales to read to the twins, and a large white book with orange ribbons that sometimes came on a book or journal to mark the place – a baby book.

It was when she opened the gifts from those in England and her other friends from Camp that she remembered she still had to tell people she was pregnant.

She'd have to deal with that at a later date. She would take a trip to England sometimes in the coming year, or have them come to her place. Maybe for Teddy's birthday, she'd have to talk to Andromeda about it.

From the Weasley's she received the traditional Weasley jumper but in a royal purple with a emerald colored 'M'. From them she also got a large box of Honeydukes chocolates.

From her friends as a joint gift she got a medium sized black treasure box which had a silver bracelet with a golden snitch charm inside.

It looked to have cost them quite a few galleons seeing as the box was bottomless and the bracelet was made from magic conductive silver, probably why it was from all her magical friends.

From Percy she received four journals which came in a set and looked rather expensively made. From Annabeth she received a pair of anchor earrings, which got a small chuckle from her.

From Daphne and Astoria she received a new cloak, lavender velvet with silver satin lining. From Draco and Luna she found a silver dagger, which from the letter included was to replace her damaged chimera dagger.

Unfortunately she'd not found time to repair it, and she wasn't even sure she could it was so badly damaged from her fight with Ares.

It would not work on monsters, being mortal made, unlike her Chimera dagger which worked on both monster and mortal, but it would be there in case any mortals made a pest of themselves on a quest.

She doubted she would need it, and but better safe then sorry.

Neville got her a box of chocolate frogs, which she was grateful for. She'd not had a chocolate frog in months. From Sam she got a purple journal, which she sort of expected.

Sam wasn't good with picking gifts, but he knew how much she wrote, and how many journals she went through yearly.

Lou Ellen got her a box of bezoars, which she was running low on and hadn't sent Helios out with an owl order to get more yet.

Of course, she only had a small potions lab set up in her apartment, the larger one being in the cabin at camp with most her potion ingredients.

Finally from Andromeda she got one of the best gifts. It was a picture frame, blue with a sea like theme.

The picture itself was taken the last time she was in England with Percy and she held Teddy in her arms. His hair a teal color, but his eyes were reflecting the same color as hers with his Metamorphmagus ability.

She was sitting on the couch, and Percy was leaning on the arm of it the couch look down at Teddy with a sort of curious expression. It was the day Percy had met Teddy and Andromeda, who had probably been the one to take the picture.

Like all magical pictures it moved.

"That's adorable," Sally said, smiling at the picture.

Percy seemed slightly embarrassed seeing as he was in the picture as well, and he knew his mother wasn't talking about Teddy alone.

Melinda laughed, nodding.

"It is," she agreed.

"That's your godson then, Teddy?" Sally asked. "He looks sort of like you."

Melinda laughed.

"Yes, he inherited an ability from his mother. Metamorphmagus, he's able to change his apparence at will. Hence his teal hair and green eyes. He tends to change to look like those he likes, you should have seen him when Percy held him."

Sally and Melinda both laughed and Percy flushed deeper.

To anyone who saw this scene they looked like a little family, and happy. For the time being the storm hadn't settled on their doorstep, for the time being there were no worries.

Subconsciously, they all knew it wouldn't last.


	8. Calm Before The Triangle

**AN: So, here is the next chapter. It's the last before we get back to Camp Half-Blood. I'll try to update as soon as I can. **

**As you may or may not know (there is a notice on my website, which is always linked on my profile page) I am rather busy lately with things, and that is coupled some writers block and a lack of insipriation that seemed to hit me pretty hard after the new year. **

**I won't be updating as often as I once did, but I will be updating, focusing mostly on Sea's Daughter and One More Day. **

**I will also update other stories when I can, and I may have a new story to upload soon, though its updates will probably be less than others, depending; we'll see. **

**I do want to apologize for being gone for so long, though, and I hope you enjoy this chapter. **

* * *

**The Sea's Daughter: Sea of Monsters.**

**Chapter 8: Calm Before The Triangle. **

Andromeda bit her lip as she waited for her cousin – even if by adoption – to arrive.

She usually wasn't nervous but she was unsure what it was that had Melinda so up in arms. She wasn't always so nervous or insistent but around the beginning of the new year she'd fire called, announcing her trip in early March.

March being the earliest she could get a week away from her current job. It was hard to believe, her little cousin was already so grown up.

To be honest Melinda always had been, she was the product of a not so happy childhood. Then she had gone from that into a magical world on the verge of war, even if they hadn't known it at the time.

She was more than happy to meet Melinda in Diagon Alley, the girl said she'd arrive around noon, and meet her outside Gringotts. That was only moments away. In the woman's arms was her grandson, of course she couldn't leave Teddy on his own.

Teddy was now only a month from being a year old. He was much larger than he'd been last time Melinda had seen him and Andromeda was sure the brunette would enjoy seeing him again.

Currently the boy had bright fuchsia hair, and yellow eyes – a combination Andromeda had seen on Nymphadora before, and reminded her sadly that in only two months the anniversary of the war's end would arrive.

Hard to believe it was nearly a year since the end of the second war. Everything had changed since then. One of the more worrisome was that not all the rogue death eaters had been caught yet.

Kingsley had done a fine job as Minister, and he'd been voted to keep the position not long after he took it on a temporary basis. Even he couldn't do everything though.

There was a lack of workers, which meant a lack of Aurors. A lot had been carted to Azkaban for their part in the corruption of the Ministry. Dolores Umbridge for example.

Fortunately, or at least it seemed that way, there had been little action taken by the Death Eaters not arrested yet.

It was worrisome for many, others simply chose to ignore it.

"Ma!" a small voice exclaimed, interrupting her thoughts.

Andromeda blinked, and looked at Teddy, who had pulled his small fist from his mouth, to point at the approaching figure.

Tall, slender (though a green cloak obscured her figure from view) long curly brunette hair, tanned skin, and bright emerald-sea green eyes.

She had barely changed since her birthday last year when she'd last seen her in person.

Despite the fact Teddy only really saw his godmother through floo calls, and pictures (though there had been two distinct occasions he'd spent time with her. Just before she'd left England, for Luna's wedding, and just before her eighteenth birthday which was celebrated early), he had one day pointed and said, Ma.

Andromeda had corrected him, pointing out a picture of Nymphadora for the boy, but Teddy had simply laughed pointed at his birth mother's picture and said Ma-Ma and then pointed back at Melinda's picture and said Ma. He was intelligent for only being ten months old, and that had happened in November when he'd first began speaking.

He could say Ma, Gran (though it wasn't perfectly spoken yet) and Wolf (which made sense seeing as his favorite toy was a stuffed wolf. Again it wasn't perfectly spoken yet, seeing as he was still a baby).

She had already mentioned his first words to Melinda, even the fact that he would most likely call her Ma the next time he saw her.

Sure enough when she fire called to announce she was coming sometime in March he'd seen her and squealed Ma loudly and happily, his hair becoming a dark brown, much like Melinda's, and his eyes green.

"Andy, Teddy!" Melinda said, grinning happily. "How have you been recently?"

Andromeda grinned back, and stepped forward to hug the younger woman. For a moment Melinda hesitated but returned the hug.

It was while she was hugging the woman she noticed something off. For one thing the hug was obstructed by something under her cloak, and when they pulled back she raised an inquisitive eyebrow.

"Mel, is there something under you cloak?" she asked, bluntly.

Melinda flushed embarrassed, and chuckled as Teddy began to struggle to get to her.

She had been flattered when Teddy had called her Ma, but at the same time saddened. Saddened because it should be Tonks here being the mother figure Teddy needed, while she played the fun aunt.

She knew Andromeda hadn't been surprised, Melinda remembered the woman telling her before she left England that she would be the mother figure in Teddy's life as he grew older, and that was the way Tonks and Remus would have wanted it.

She hadn't expected him to consider her his mother so quickly though. She supposed she should have.

Andromeda sighed in exasperation and finally handed the squirming baby over to Melinda, who took him without hesitation.

"That's part of the reason I wanted to take this trip," Melinda said, and she took a deep breath. "I'm just going to say it... I'm pregnant."

Andromeda heard what the younger brunette had said, but for a moment she wasn't taking it in. after all, it wasn't everyday that something like that was simply blurted out.

"I'm sorry?"

"I'm with child, up the duff, knocked up... anything else that means pregnant," Melinda said, a smirk of amusement on the corner of her mouth.

Andromeda looked at her and Melinda pulled the cloak open and she saw the clear evidence of her claim. She was further along than Andromeda had expected. Melinda looked at if she had swallowed a beach ball, Andromeda would say about eight or nine months – clearly nearing her due date, if not she'd be surprised.

Andromeda was sure Melinda wouldn't have revealed this outside Gringotts if not for the fact it wasn't very crowded at the moment. The last thing she'd want was news that the Woman-Who-Conquered was expecting a heir.

"Who..."

"Hades," Melinda answered, and Andromeda blinked, before bursting into quiet chuckles.

"Only you could go away for a year and become pregnant with the god of the dead's kid," Andromeda said after she stopped chuckling, and Melinda rolled her eyes.

"Funny," she muttered. "Kids, by the way, it's twins."

Andromeda snorted, shaking her head.

"Congratulations, Lin," she said a moment later. "When are you due?"

Melinda smiled, and motioned for them to head into the bank, which would be her first stop. She planned to set everything up for them, and she'd already been to St. Mungos to prepare birth certificates.

The twins wouldn't be born in England, but she would prepare a dual citizenship for them both in England, and America.

It also helped that there were spells healers could cast to make sure the Muggle machines were correct about gender. Genders which she already knew, now that she was in her seventh month. She had simply wanted to be sure before she set up everything with the goblins.

Her doctor in New York, Dr. Ellis, had been very happy with her weight gain recently. When she'd went back in the middle of January she'd gained quite a bit of weight and it was apparent she was five months pregnant.

She'd gone back just a week before her trip to England, and he'd been content that she was a good size for a woman having twins in the end of their sixth month.

She was glad she didn't have to worry too much about her weight gain anymore, she'd been concerned in the beginning that it would cause problems.

That was the last thing she needed, as it was she'd had to try and keep a low profile. A monster attack would be bad, but for some reason neither she nor Percy had noticed any monsters.

She wasn't about to kick a gift horse in the mouth though, so she accepted this, but kept her guard up just in case.

"Sometime in late May," Melinda replied, surprising Andromeda.

"You're only seven months now, I though it was further along but I guess since it is twins that makes more sense now," Andromeda said, and Melinda nodded, switching Teddy to her other side.

"Hmm, believe it or not, I didn't even know I was pregnant until late November," Melinda said. "I had trouble gaining weight, I didn't really begin to show noticeably until December."

Andromeda nodded.

"It's not uncommon, Narcissa didn't begin to show until she was nearly six months along – at least not as much as she probably should have. She seemed to blow up rather quickly once she was in her sixth month though. Tonks began showing rather quickly on the other hand; by the time she was in her last few months I swore she looked as if she were having twins she was so big."

Melinda laughed, and looked at the goblin they'd stopped in front of.

"I would like to see the goblin in charge of the Potter-Black account," Melinda said, and the goblin looked at the woman and nodded.

"Savageclaw will take you to see Jaggersaw."

One of the goblins stepped forward and began to lead the trio towards a room, or office more like. He opened the door and motioned them inside, before shutting it behind him, but not interring.

He never said a word, but Melinda wasn't too surprised. Goblins were an odd race at times.

Behind a large desk was a older goblin, but he looked just a dangerous as any goblin did. He looked at them and grinned scarily for a second before nodding at the two chairs in front of the desk.

"What may I do for you today, Lady Potter-Black?" Jaggersaw asked, and Melinda settled Teddy in her lap (which was a little odd, since her stomach got in the way a bit).

"I'm sure it's rather apparent that I am pregnant, Jaggersaw," she began, her tone the epitome of a Pureblood lady of two noble houses. "I am here to set up two accounts, for them."

"I assume you have the proper papers ready? Since the babies are not born yet we need documents of their confirmed gender by a healer."

Melinda nodded, reached into her cloak and pulled out the parchments from her recent trip to St. Mungos. Jaggersaw looked at them, and the notes from the healer she'd seen. It was short, simply going over the check up and confirmation of gender.

"Alright then. I'll need names for them and what you expect to be put into the accounts, and such," Jaggersaw said, and Melinda nodded.

"Of Course. Their names will be Orion James Black, and Leia Lily Potter. I plan to name Leia the heiress to the Potter family, and Orion the heir to the Black family."

Andromeda smiled.

"Keeping with the Black family tradition as well as honoring Sirius and James," Andromeda said, "Maybe we'll get lucky and he won't take to much after James or Sirius. The world does not need another Marauder."

Melinda laughed shortly, and shrugged. She hadn't really thought of that, but she wouldn't be upset if her son did turn out like his namesake, though she hoped he wouldn't be as bad. Save her the gray hairs and headaches.

"As for what goes into the vaults." Melinda thought for a moment. "I'd like it set up like my trust vault was. This will essentially be their trust vaults after all."

Jaggersaw nodded, taking down the information.

"I will have the vaults opened, and money taken and deposited into their trust vaults accordingly. I will Owl you at a later date with all the details. The keys will be finished by the end of the day, return this afternoon or tomorrow to retrieve them."

Melinda stood, as did Andromeda.

"Thank you, I will return tomorrow for the keys," she said, nodded slightly and followed Andromeda out.

Once they were heading towards the exit Melinda let out a sigh.

"I'm glad that's done with," she muttered and Andromeda chuckled.

The two women were about to leave when a shock of red hair caught Melinda's attention. Stopping, and turning, Melinda realized the red hair belonged to a familiar scarred man.

Bill Weasley.

**xXx**

"Bill," Melinda said, drawing the man's attention.

Bill turned, and blinked in surprise at the person that greeted him. Familiar features, it only took a second to realize who it was and he grinned.

"Melinda! You're in England..." he trailed off as his eyes wondered over her, having not seen her in months, and froze on the bulge he could make out from her half open cloak. "...and pregnant. Has it been that long since we've seen you?"

Melinda chuckled, and flushed slightly. She didn't know Bill as well as she knew his brothers, other than Charlie, but she was fairly close to Fleur. The two had bonded over the Triwizard Tournament, though not to the extent that she and Dasha had when Dasha had been alive.

"It's been a while," she agreed. "How are you and Fleur? The others, I want to visit but currently I'm here setting up things for the twins when their born."

Bill's eyes shot open wide, and he chuckled.

"Twins, well I can't say it's the most surprising thing you've accomplished in the past," Bill said. "Fleur and I are well, actually she would enjoy seeing you. You're both expecting, and soon from the looks of you."

Melinda blinked and then she grinned, realizing what Bill meant. Fleur was pregnant as well, considering they'd been married a year already she couldn't say she was all that surprised.

"That's wonderful, congratulations Bill," Melinda said.

"So, were you ever going to tell us about this," Bill asked, in a teasing manner and Melinda snorted.

"It's part of the reason I'm here. I didn't even know myself until late November. Things prevented me from coming to England sooner and I wanted to tell everyone in person."

Bill nodded.

"Understandable. Mom will be ecstatic, she see's you as another daughter after all," he said. "So, who's the father. Anyone we know?"

Melinda grimaced a little, this was definitely awkward. She had dated Bill's brother, Fred, for a while after all. It had barely been a year now that he had been dead and she was showing up heavily pregnant.

Others might find that offensive to Fred's memory, but she also knew the Weasley's wouldn't.

They, like her, knew Fred wanted her to move on. He wasn't the kind to want her to spend her life as if she were a widow.

"No, it's someone I met in America. We were only together several months," she said. "We knew it wouldn't work between us in the end, and of course we didn't plan this, but I am happy about It. I've always wanted children."

"So the father..."

"We still talk, and are friends, but we're no longer together," Melinda said, smiling.

Bill nodded, it wasn't something that was uncommon.

Well, at least it wasn't uncommon for single parents, it wasn't quite as common for two people to split up and remain friends, especially if there was an unplanned pregnancy involved. He wasn't too sure how common or uncommon it was in the Muggle world.

"Ma..." Teddy mumbled, and mumbled some other sort of words.

It took a moment, but she finally understood Teddy was trying to say he was hungry.

"Alright, Teddy, we're going in a minute," she said, shifting Teddy on her hip. "I'm sorry, Bill, we'll have to talk more when I visit."

Bill nodded, understanding.

"It's alright, I get it." Looking at Andromeda he nodded. "Ah, and hello to you as well Andromeda, I'm sorry I didn't notice you there."

Andromeda smirked, chuckled and nodded.

"It's alright, you were probably too shocked about Melinda's surprise to notice much more," she said, and after quick goodbyes Andromeda and Melinda headed out of the bank.

"That was interesting," Melinda said. "You never mentioned Fleur was pregnant."

Andromeda smiled.

"You never mentioned you were either, but I actually didn't know. I don't have a lot of contact with Bill or his wife. I talk to Molly occasionally, but mostly I see your three friends; Ron, Neville and Hermione. They ask about you, knowing we talk often."

Melinda nodded.

"We should head to Grimmauld Place, I think it would be a little quieter and easier just to have Kreacher and Dobby make lunch for us," Melinda said.

**xXx**

Melinda did go back the next day to pick up the newly made keys for vaults 680 and 681, which would be the twins trust vaults.

She'd kept a low profile while she was there, hoping not to have her pregnancy leaked to the public, so far so good.

Two days after arriving she'd gone to see Petunia and Primrose. She'd been happy before how well Petunia got along with Primrose (which should have been a given since Primrose was Petunia's granddaughter).

Petunia had adjusted to raising a witch well, and Primrose was nearly two full years older than Teddy, and would turn three on July 2nd.

Maybe it was Petunia's way of making up for Melinda's terrible childhood, or maybe it was simpler for the two year old to say Aunt, but Petunia had told Primrose, or Rosie, that Melinda was her aunt.

This had occurred months ago, so Melinda was used to Rosie calling her Aunt Lin by now.

She'd stayed nearly an entire day before she returned home.

It was the next day she got a visit from Draco, who was taking care of Bellona alone while Luna finished up her last year in Hogwarts.

Melinda could have hit herself for forgetting that Luna and Ginny still had one year of Hogwarts left before they graduated.

While she, Hermione and Ron had never done their seventh year they were still considered graduates and had the papers to prove it since they had been in the middle of a war.

Many who wanted could return to Hogwarts to repeat their seventh year, or whatever year they'd been in if they wanted.

She wished she could have brought Percy with her to England, but he had school, and she'd been able to take two weeks off work to come. Vacation time or whatever. Percy couldn't be take out of school for that long, though.

Sesha of course was content to be back in England, and enjoyed tormenting Dobby, who didn't really seem to mind being chased by the snake for amusement.

Sometimes Melinda worried about her familiar - mentally that is.

But, she was loosing the point. Draco hadn't stayed long, but the fact she was pregnant had shocked her friend. In the end he'd hugged her, congratulated her and they'd spent a few hours talking about their lives up until this point.

She'd asked him when he and Luna planned to start their family, and he'd laughed. His answer was what she expected. They were happy with just raising Bellona for now, and would let nature take it's course in a few years.

He was currently in training as an Auror along with Ron – which wasn't a surprise for her. Ron had always expressed a wish to become an Auror.

It would be something he was good at, he had experience fighting dark wizards and such after all.

Finally she couldn't put it off any longer, and sent an Helios out to Molly, letting her know she would be coming to the Burrow the next day.

She could have simply shown up, but she wanted to give Molly time to prepare. She knew the older woman well enough to know she'd appreciate it.

_::Sesha, are you coming with me to the Burrow,::_ Melinda asked as she laced her boots up.

Sesha was lounging on a warming rock in the corner of the room – Melinda had made a point to place one in the main rooms just for the serpent. Some could say Sesha was spoiled as far as snake goes. They wouldn't be wrong.

She pulled her blue jeans back down once she'd finished lacing the boot, and stood, straightening out her ¾ sleeve violet top.

_::I have nothing better to do, Mistress,::_ Sesha said, slithering over to curl up the outstretched arm Melinda offered.

Sesha settle around her shoulders, part of her body curled around her right shoulder and arm. Melinda grabbed the green cloak thrown over the back of the couch, and threw it on, closing it so it wouldn't be immediately apparent she was pregnant.

Though she hated it, she would have to use the floo network to get to the Burrow. It was, the safest form of transport for a pregnant woman.

Portkeys were also alright, but they made her a bit more nauseous and disorientated than floo travel did. Apparating wasn't safe after the first trimester for a pregnant woman because of splinching and bad landings.

It was actually recommended they stopped apparating immediately after a witch found out they were expecting.

**xXx**

Melinda was never more happy she'd grown more used to using the floo as she was as she exited into the burrow from the fireplace.

She stumbled, but unlike when she was younger she stayed standing, though barely.

It might have had something to do with the fact she'd prepared mentally for the fact she had to be extra careful with her exit from the Burrow's fireplace. She didn't want to chance hurting the babies by tumbling out and falling flat on her face.

"Melinda!" Molly exclaimed, having come into the room hearing the floo. "Oh my, you've grown since last July."

Molly looked at the woman before her, the girl who she'd seen as a second daughter since she'd met her in the summer before Ron's second year.

The same girl who'd later save her younger and only biological daughter from the Chamber of Secrets, and go on to winning the war.

It broke Molly's heart when Fred died, and she'd been terribly saddened for Melinda. She knew Melinda had loved Fred, but she also knew the girl had to move on. It would do her no good living her life alone. She deserved to find another man to spend her life with, and she knew Fred would have wanted that as well.

"Molly," Melinda said, smiling and hugging the woman.

When they pulled back Molly looked down and gasped, blinking in shock.

"Oh my, is that what I think it is..."

Melinda chuckled and placed a hand on her stomach.

"Yeah, it's one reason I wanted to come see everyone," Melinda said. "I'm seven months now."

Molly grinned, happy for her honorary daughter.

"Congratulations," said Molly, before she motioned for Melinda to follow her into the kitchen. "Everyone is waiting outback. I made a large dinner, everyone is here."

"Even Hermione?" Melinda asked, and Molly nodded.

"Of course, she's been dating Charlie for months now," Molly said. "Ginny isn't here, sadly, she's finishing her seventh year now. You and Fleur will have a lot to talk about though, she's pregnant as well. You'll both probably have the babies around the same time, since she's in her seventh month as well."

Melinda laughed at the irony, she knew Fleur was pregnant but Bill hadn't said they were in the same month.

"I know about Fleur, I ran into Bill in Gringotts a few days ago when I arrived."

"Oh?" Molly asked, looking back at her.

"Yes, I was setting up trust vaults for the twins."

Molly nearly dropped the platter of treacle tarts she had picked up and stacked on top of a covered container of what looked like roast lamb.

Melinda had tried to take the second container from Molly, but the woman had gently slapped her hand away. Apparently being pregnant made her unfit to carry anything over five pounds.

"Twins?"

Melinda smiled, and nodded.

"Yes. Bill reacted similarly. Apparently I do the unexpected," she said.

"I assume you already know their genders?" Molly asked, and began walking towards the backdoor. "I remember when I was pregnant with George and... Fred. I was so exited to know the genders, though by then I was pretty sure they would be boys since it is unusual for Weasley's to be female. Ginny was the first in generations."

Melinda nodded, opening the door since Molly had her hands full.

"It's a girl and a boy," she replied. "Orion and Leia."

Molly smiled at the names, heading for the rather long table that was set up in the backyard. Molly wasn't exaggerating, nearly everyone was there. Ginny, was probably the only exception, even Neville was there.

Why, she wasn't exactly sure. She also saw a red-haired girl she remembered from school sitting next to Ron, oddly enough.

She had long straight red hair, fair skin with a spray of freckles over the bridge of her nose and light blue eyes.

"Merlin, you've gotten fat, Mellie," Ron said, when he saw Melinda.

It only took everyone a second to see what Ron was noticing and there were quite a few face-palms. Fleur laughed, standing up.

The beautiful quarter veela was equally as pregnant as Melinda, though not quite as big yet, despite the fact they were in the same month. Melinda figured this had to do with the fact Melinda was carrying twins while Fleur was not.

"Zee iz not fat, Ronald," Fleur said, her accent still apparent but not as strong as when they'd met in Melinda's fourth year. "Melinda, I'm glad to see you, and congratulations. Bill mentioned he zaw you recently, but he failed to mention thiz."

"Huh?" Ron muttered, confused before he was whacked on the back of the head by Susan and Hermione (who was passing behind him to give Melinda a hug).

"Seriously Ronald, open your eyes," Hermione said, rolling her eyes at her friend (and ex-boyfriend, oddly enough seeing as she was dating his older brother, Charlie, now).

"I'm not fat, Ron, I'm pregnant," Melinda said, before she met Hermione moments later in a short hug.

"You look great, Mel," Hermione said, grinning.

Looking at one of her best friends, Melinda's eyes widened. Hermione had changed quite a bit over the last year. Her hair was no longer long or wavy-curly as it once had been. It also looked as if it had been highlighted with lighter and darker tones of brown. It was short, barely past her chin, and straight.

It looked good on her.

"You cut your hair," she said and Hermione laughed and nodding.

"Yeah, I wanted a change," Hermione said. "So, whose the babies daddy?"

Melinda smiled lightly at her friends sense of humor and teasing.

"You don't know him, but you've probably heard of him," Melinda said. "We're no longer together, but on good terms. This was actually a surprise for both of us."

Melinda chuckled as she placed a hand on her stomach.

"So what's his name?" Ron asked, as Melinda came to sit across from him.

One either side of Melinda was George and on the other side was Neville who seemed slightly nervous, probably because he wasn't here with someone. Susan looked as if she was here with Ron, which she found strange.

She knew Susan and Neville had dated, if they weren't anymore it was news to her. On Georges other side was Angelina, who she knew well from the Quidditch team.

Hermione was with Charlie and even Percy had brought along a girl. She'd never seen the woman before, no older than Percy himself, so early twenties. She had fair skin, long auburn hair, and doe-like amber eyes.

"Hades, I met him in Los Angeles, on a trip I took there last June."

By this time many had filled their plates, and Ron had been stuffing his mouth, though with a bit more decorum then his Hogwarts days. When she'd said this Both Ron, and Hermione froze, Ron choking on the lamb he'd been swallowing.

They at least understood what she said, being one of the few who knew of her birth father and the existence of the gods.

"Strange... strange name," Ron choked out.

Melinda smirked.

"Yes, his parents were quite into Greek Mythology," she said. "His entire family is named for them."

"Interesting," Molly said. "Is that why you chose Orion for one of the twins?"

"Twins?" George asked, eyes wide as he looked at Melinda.

Melinda laughed, the fact everyone seemed to have similar reactions to the news wasn't lost on her.

"Yes, I'm having twins," she said. "As for the names. I actually chose Orion because of Black family tradition and Sirius. His middle name was Orion. I also plan to name Orion the Black family heir, and Leia as the Potter heiress. It works out well, and both family names will continue."

Molly and Arthur both nodded, understanding her desire to have her family names continue. Both the Black and Potter families were two of the oldest Pureblood families. It would be a shame if they went extinct.

"Lovely names," the girl beside Percy said. "Oh, um, I'm Audrey. Audrey Mathews... I'm uh..."

Percy looked at the auburn haired girl beside him and offered a smile to Melinda further down the table.

"Audrey is a squib, I met her through her cousin," Percy explained. "You remember Penelope Clearwater?"

"Yes, she was in your year, wasn't she. A Ravenclaw?"

Audrey nodded.

"Penelope is my cousin on my mother's side. our mother's are sisters. My father is a muggle, my mum is a witch. I grew up in the Magical world though, despite being a squib," she said, a little on the shy side.

Melinda smiled at the woman.

"It's great to meet you Audrey," Melinda said. "I take it you and Percy are seeing each other?"

"Yes, for a few months now," Audrey said, smiling. "He actually saved me from snatchers during the war."

The rest of the dinner went much the same, everyone talking and enjoying a nice meal. Melinda learned Susan and Neville were no longer seeing each other and hadn't been since early August.

Susan and Ron, on the other hand, had begun dating last October, after having gotten to know one another.

She felt bad for Neville at first, but she needn't do so. Turned out Ginny had harbored a crush on him since the Yule ball, but wasn't sure enough about herself to make a move.

That changed in mid-late August.

They'd been exchanging letters while she was at Hogwarts, and he'd even met her for a Hogsmeade trip in November.

Sesha, who had been unseen until her conversation with Audrey, had slithered off to hunt around the backyard, and maybe take out some amusement on the garden gnomes.

**xXx**

"A god? Really, Melinda?" Hermione asked once they arrived back at Grimmauld Place that night.

It had come as little surprise when Hermione, Ron and Neville had accompanied her home that night. She knew they had a lot to talk about.

"It _is _Melinda," Neville said. "I'm not all that surprised."

Sesha gave the snake version of a snort.

_::You didn't have to walk in on them having sex on the furniture, Gardner-boy.:: _

Melinda blushed lightly, more so at what Sesha had said opposed to what the others had.

"Isn't Hades like your uncle or something?" he asked, and Melinda looked at him blankly for a moment.

"So?" she asked. "Gods don't have DNA like mortals do, Ron."

Hermione sighed.

"Melinda is right, it doesn't matter about how Hades is related to her – since they have no DNA that would match up in a test. Besides, Purebloods do it all the time, Ron. At least in concern to cousins."

Ron turned red, and rubbed the back of his head.

"I know that, I was just surprised. I never thought Melinda would date a god, much less have their kids," he said as they all found a spot in the living room to sit down.

"Which leads me back to my first question," Hermione began, looking back to Melinda. "What were you thinking? From what I've heard, from Luna and you, gods don't stay with their mortal lovers for long."

Melinda sighed, nodding.

"It's true, but we knew that going into the affair. It was an instant attraction I guess; we were both lonely for one," she explained, shrugging. "It's true, I loved Hades, and a part of me always will, just as a part of me will always love Fred, but we both knew it wouldn't work in the long run between us."

Melinda smiled suddenly.

"We didn't plan for this" She gestured to her round stomach and said, "But I'm happy."

"And Hades?" Neville asked.

"He was, surprisingly enough (to you at least), happy as well. He was worried, of course. We broke up not long after I told him the news, but we're still friends."

"Won't that be awkward?" Ron asked. "I mean you have kids together."

"Not really," Melinda began, frowning slightly. "I mean, Hermione's still friends with you and you used to date. It's the same for Hades and I, except we share children."

"As long as you're happy," Hermione said, with a light sigh. "I'm happy for you as well. Congratulations, Lin."

Melinda grinned.

"Thanks, Mione," she replied. "It's a good thing too, because I was hoping you would be Orion's godmother. And that Ron would be his godfather... if that's not too awkward for you two?"

She had a hint of mischievousness in her voice at the end, and Hermione rolled her eyes, a small smile on her face.

"I would be happy to be his godmother."

Ron nodded.

"I was wondering when you'd ask, Mellie," he said, smiling.

Melinda turned to Neville then.

"Don't think I've forgotten you, Nev," Melinda said. "Leia still needs a Godfather."

Neville smiled, nodding.

"I'd be honored," he said, "Any thought of godmother for her yet?"

Melinda smiled, and nodded.

"You don't know her, and she's a bit young, but I think she'll take to the roll well. I mean, if she accepts."

"Oh, is it that girl you owled me about... Annabeth?" Hermione asked, a curious sparkle in her brown eyes. "A daughter of Athena, right?"

"Right, and yes," she said. "Hopefully you guys can visit me sometime soon in New York, and you'll be able to meet her, Hermione. I think you two would get along well, Annabeth reminds me loads of you before Ron, Neville and I corrupted you."

"Poor girl," Hermione said, shaking her head. "Percy is a lot like you it seems, and Grover reminds me a little of Neville and Ron."

Melinda, Neville and Ron all laughed.

**xXx**

_::Mistress, if you don't hurry we'll miss the Portkey back to America!:: _

Melinda sighed as she heard Sesha exclaim this from the bed, but she knew she was right in ways. She was a bit sad to be leaving to be honest.

At the same time she missed New York and her apartment, and most of all her job and Percy, dreadfully.

The house seemed darker lately, but maybe one day it would be lived in more. At least she hoped her children would live long enough to live here if they wished.

Seeing as Orion was to be the Black heir it was highly possible.

She had already said goodbye to her friends, and even talked to Andromeda about having Teddy's first birthday at her apartment in New York.

She was hoping to get a positive answer sometime soon. She had also said goodbye to the portraits, more so her parents and Sirius' portraits.

It may seem odd, but they were magical portraits, at least it wasn't a completely inanimate object.

_::That won't happen, Sesha,::_ Melinda began. _:: I have the portkey right here. Now, come on.:: _

Melinda held out her arm and the Egyptian cobra slithered up it, curling over her shoulders, and down her right arm a bit.

There was one more thing she needed to do before she left. She wished she'd done it before, but it had simply slipped her mind before now.

"Kreacher, Dobby!" she called and there were two pops a second later.

"Mistress calls?" both house elves asked and Melinda smiled.

"Yes, as you know I may need you two to split your time cleaning up both Grimmauld Place, and my apartment when I can not. I won't have a ton of time once the twins are born, you see. Also, I was thinking of getting another house elf, too help me care for the twins."

"Like a nanny elf, Mistress Mellie?" Dobby asked and Melinda chuckled, and nodded.

"More or less," she said.

Dobby's eyes got huge and he nodded.

"Dobby is knowing someone who can help!"

"Who exactly?"

"Winky, Mistress Mellie," the house elf said. "Winky always be sad when we worked together at Hogwarts. I think she miss working for magic family of her own."

Melinda smiled.

"Alright then," she said. "Get into contact with Winky, Dobby, and tell her to come to me in New York. We'll go from there. Kreacher, is this alright with you?"

Kreacher nodded.

"Good, I'll see you both again," she said, and grabbed her bag in one hand and the Portkey tightly in the other.

It was only moments after the house elves popped away that the Portkey activated and there was no longer any sign of Melinda Potter-Black in Number 12 Grimmauld Place.


End file.
